YI series: The Trip
by Askre5
Summary: A family trip ends up a bit differently than intended. The Jonin is injured and the farmhouse is under siege by their enemies. The Black Turtles.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Story originally written and posted on 06/10 2007

Welcome to the first long instalment of the YI series. A spin off from my Assassin series. But you do not have to read the Assassin series to understand this one. But I strongly suggest having read "Six lights, Four Shadows" and "Funny thing about Anger first." This story happens about a year after them.

This is the origin story or at least the basics of it, it will be told in flashback form in later chapters.

* * *

 **Disclaimer and Legal stuff:**

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles®, including Raphael®, Michelangelo®, Leonardo®, Donatello®, April O'Neil®, and Splinter® are registered trademarks of Viacom International Inc. Based on characters and comic books created by Peter A. Laird and Kevin B. Eastman.

I do not own them in other words.

This story is written purely as a homage to the Teenage Mutant Turtles and not meant for any commercial profit or infringement on copyright. This story will immediately be removed if Viacom International wishes so.

Other characters, Including Yo and In and the Black Turtles are © Hermann Gunnar Sigurðsson (Askre).

AU turtles in all their variety are based off the TMNT.

The story, is copyright © 2007/2008 by Hermann Gunnar Sigurðsson (Askre).

 **Rated T for violence, torture and implied adult situations.**

 **This story is part of the YI series and is canon to the Assassin series.**

 _Sum: A family trip ends up a bit differently than intended. The Jonin is injured and the farmhouse is under siege by their enemies. The Black Turtles._

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

"Trip, trip, trip," the thrill voice echoed through the underground lair deep under the city. A seven-year-old bluish-green turtle darted out of one room into another.

The boy wore only a brownish colored belt and mask, light purplish in color that went over his head. The mask tails were long and fluttered behind him as the boy bounced around in excitement. He ended up in the kitchen and took few laps around the table.

"Excited for the trip Michelangelo," his mother, In, addressed him. She was a basic green turtle, with a hint of olive. Around the head, the reptile woman wore a white mask with very long tails and a belt in the same color encircled her waist. Otherwise, she wore brown pads, wristbands.

"Yep." For the first time in small while little Michelangelo stopped. In smiled and finished putting sandwiches in plastic containers. On the table were two cooling boxes intended for the food she was preparing.

"Have you finished packing, my son?" she then asked. Mikey's eyes opened wide in seeming shock. Then he took a pose pointing with one finger into air.

"No, must finish!" he announced and rushed out of the kitchen causing his mother to chuckle.

The boy darted through the living room not paying heed to what was happening in there. Two of his brothers, nineteen-year-old Donatello and seventeen year old Raphael were "discussing" important matters. At least for the younger reptile it was very important.

"Please!" Raph begged.

"No," Donatello firmly stated with arms folded. He was the largest member of the family, 5'9'' and very broad and muscular. Like Raphael and In he was basic green, but had a darker shade of the color.

Both wore similar gear and their mother, but Donatello carried an indigo-purple mask and Raphael a normal purple mask. Their mask tails were also much shorter than their mother's.

"Please, please, pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaase." The younger turtle was on his knees and clasping his hands together.

"No, you broke it and thus you can live without it until we come back," Tello growled. The smaller ninja tried to smile and flutter his eyes, but that only caused his brother to narrow his eyes.

"Aw Tello come on," Raph in the end simply said. His older sibling didn't budge.

"I warned you to be careful with your walkman; we leave in only two hours. I'M not FIXING it," the big reptile grunted and stalked over to the tunnels that led to the bedrooms.

"Man." Raphael sighed and banged his head lightly on the floor. Then the turtle rose up and followed Tello. Raph didn't walk as far in and was soon in his bedroom.

On the bed was a bag with the important stuff. Books and whatever else a turtle needed at a secluded farmhouse. The ninja was rather relieved they wore very little clothing. Still they had been instructed to pack some disguises and would be wearing them once April and Casey came to pick them up.

Raph walked to his desk and blinked when spotting his walkman there with a note attached to it. As far as he knew, the device had been on his bed this morning. Picking up the note the turtle tilted his head when reading it.

 _Of course I fixed it ya pipsqueak – Tello._

 _That… cruel bastard,_ Raphael chuckled and picked up the walkman and put it in the bag along with some CDs. _Well looks like the music is saved for the trip._

* * *

In the music room of the lair a turtle sat behind a drum set and was playing a powerful solo on it. The reptile was a mix of bluish and basic green in color and had a very dark purple mask. Leonardo, the oldest son in the family at age 24, was relaxing before the trip.

The solo was soon finished and the turtle spun the drumsticks on his fingers. Leo then rose up and put them away on a stand nearby. Dusting off his hands the reptile walked around the set and to the door, he wanted to make one last check on the luggage before it was time to go.

When he arrived in the living room, the turtle noticed his youngest brother lying on the couch. Curious, Leonardo approached and noticed the contemplating look on Mikey's face. The little turtle then rose up and looked at him with thoughtful expression.

"I need toys," he simply claimed, jumped off the couch and darted off to his room.

 _Of course._ Leo chuckled and was about to follow. However, a deep and calm voice addressed him.

Standing in the entrance of the dojo was his father and the jonin of the family, Yo. The turtle was bluish-green much like Mikey, but the color was getting darker. He wore the same gear and Leo, Tello and Raph, but his mask was black.

"Father." Leonardo bowed in respect, Yo returned it.

"How long until April and Casey arrive to pick us up?" the older turtle then asked and stepped out of the entrance.

"Well, April said they would be in the alley around eleven, that's one and half hour," Leo answered his father after glancing at the clock.

"Good," Yo nodded.

Leonardo didn't say anything but watched the black-masked ninja master disappear into the kitchen. It was not easy to read Yo, he usually in most situations managed to keep a very calm and stoic expression on his face. Still the family knew he wasn't all too keen on going on this trip, but he had been convinced in the end although it had taken a while.

"Hello my love," the jonin addressed In from the kitchen.

"Greetings love," the turtle woman greeted back.

Inside, Yo had wrapped his arms around his soul mate from behind. His head rested on her right shoulder. In stopped for a moment in preparing the food and put her hands on his. She could clearly feel his worries; the male turtle showed nothing but the woman knew him well.

"It will be a good trip, my love," she told him reassuringly.

"I do not doubt that, but I worry about what our enemies might do in our absence," he said.

"It's only for the weekend, love," In pointed out. "And you definitely need it."

"Excuse me?" Yo asked mildly amused at hearing this. The turtle woman chuckled; her mate seldom admitted needing rest.

"You have been having trouble meditating; you lost focus in practice two times already and let's not forget when you raised your voice at Michelangelo last week. You must face it, my love, you are over stressed," she told him.

The jonin nodded, it was all true. The final straw had been when he actually lost patience with his youngest son last week. Mikey had accidentally broken a glass and Yo had scolded him more harshly than necessary. The little turtle had been in tears at hearing his father like this.

"There that should be enough." In had resumed what she had been doing and put the final container in the second box.

"Knowing Michelangelo and Raphael, they will be trying to sneak into this every five minutes," Yo mentioned and let got of his mate.

"Ah but that's why I have entrusted you to keep a watch on the food," In told him with a smile.

"I don't recall tha… yes of course, my love," he chuckled and was patted on the cheek by the turtle woman.

"Mother, father." Raphael came walking briskly in with a wide smile. His parents greeted him in turn.

"So we ready to go? Wanna me to hold the food?" the young turtle inquired and went to pick up the boxes.

"That won't by necessary, my son," Yo said and took the coolers himself. "You better go and dress your brother in a disguise and get dressed yourself. Remember also to pick up your weapons from the dojo."

"Eh sure father." Raph saw he would not be in the charge of the food like he had hoped. He turned around and quickly left the kitchen calling Mikey's name.

"Weapons?" In looked at her mate questionably.

"Yes this is a relaxation trip, but you never know. It does not hurt to be ready," the jonin told her.

"Yes you're right, but you and Leonardo won't be carrying katanas under those disguises, nor will Donatello with his naginata," she pointed out and Yo nodded in agreement.

"I do have my kusari-gamas, but the swords and the naginata can still be kept close as a part of the luggage." He started to walk to the kitchen entrance with the boxes.

"Well I'm then going to loan them my butterfly swords, they can at least carry them inside of the coat," In contemplated rubbing her chin, her mate looked at the woman with an amused smile.

"What? You said it yourself, my love, it doesn't hurt to be ready," the woman said innocently.

* * *

"See grandma." The little human girl giggled as her father put her into the children seat in the back of the white van.

"You got it, Squirt," Casey Jones chuckled at his daughter, Shadow he had named her, while fastening her securely.

"In fact we are going to spend an entire weekend with all of the turtles," he reminded her. The girl giggled more in delight.

"Let's hurry then." April O'Neil appeared having just finished locking the shop. Then she whispered quickly to Casey. "Between you and me, I rather not have them wait topside."

"Right." The man actually knew she was not referring to their friends, and pretty much adopted family, being spotted by humans. That was usually the least of their worries.

They finished loading their luggage into one corner of the van before driving off. April was driving. Casey's knee had been bothering him for a while and he didn't feel up to being behind the wheels for hours.

April was rather relieved that the alley they were meeting the six turtles in was not far away. She was soon backing the van into it and saw already where six coat-wearing figures stood close to a nearby manhole.

"Grandma?" Shadow tried to peek out but was stuck in the chair.

"You'll see her in a moment Shad," her father assured the girl then opened the door on his side and stepped out.

"Hey guys, nice outfits," the man commented and couldn't but chuckle at seeing little Mikey in his coat and too big hat.

"Greetings to you Casey, April," Yo addressed the humans. In was already in the process of hugging April in a greeting and waving to Shadow through the window.

"Shadow! Shadow!" Mikey wasted no time opening the back of the van and scrambling in. He was greeted by a giggle from the girl. His mother soon followed and the two of them got seated near the girl. Casey and Tello put the turtle's luggage into the van while the others got inside.

"Hey if you want, you can drive when we are in the more secluded parts," the human offered the large turtle. Donatello grinned at that and nodded.

"Ok put the curtains up for the windows," April instructed as she sat at the drivers seat. Leonardo and Yo complied, but just in case, everybody was still wearing their disguises. Mikey, as he was so small and wasn't clearly visible from the windows, got permission to take off the hat. The van soon began driving out of the alley and to the road.

"Hey." Raphael suddenly wrinkled his beak. He was sitting right beside his big bulky brother. "Tello did you fart?"

"No," Donatello grunted, he was reading a car magazine.

"Yes you did, what a stink bomb," the younger ninja waved his hands in front of his beak.

"Raph, shut up," the older reptile growled.

"Well that was a record." Leonardo smiled where he sat beside his father. "Five minutes into the trip and Raph is already bored."

* * *

The van, as it drove into the traffic of New York City, didn't go completely unnoticed. High up on the rooftop of one apartment building a figure watched the vehicle. A sickly grin with a row of sharp teeth was on the dark-bluish-green beak. The head had a tattered orange mask and around the waist was a damaged dark gray belt. This strange turtle was larger than Tello. Though nothing was heard from him on the outside, he was having a full time conversation deep inside his mind.

" _So, Yo and his family are going on a trip are they."_ The voice was dark and deep, but it was not the voice of the strange turtle. It was someone else, speaking telepathically to him.

" _Ya got that right leader, with their human friends as well."_ The turtle chuckled darkly.

" _Hm, I trust your sense of smell is good enough to track them,"_ the dark voice said though it was as if he was stating something very obvious.

" _Gotta use it for something, so you gonna grace them with your presence?"_ the reptile asked curiously.

" _No, but you will get back up,"_ the voice assured him.

" _Can I go and grab a bite while I wait."_ The turtle looked around, starting to scent the air rather eagerly.

" _Of course, you better have plenty of energy."_ The voice started to fade away.

The turtle rose up to his feet and kept scenting. Then he suddenly took off and jumped down into a secluded alley. The large reptile landed with a loud slam on a trash container right in front of a human in tattered street clothes. The homeless man jumped back staring at the creature with wide-open eyes.

"Hey there, mind if I rip out your spleen and eat it?" The turtle chuckled and rose up, baring his sharp teeth.

The man yelped and prepared to run away, but as he tried to flee, he slammed into something really big. The human landed harshly on his butt but stared up shocked. Towering at 7'2'' another turtle had suddenly arrived. This one was dark brownish-green, with tattered mask in indigo color and damaged pads and wristbands. The belt looked in a bad shape as well.

The second turtle appeared beside the newly arrived one. This one only had a ripped crimson mask but wore nothing else. He was blackish green in color and a bit smaller than the big brown one, about seven feet tall.

"Gee, you guys were fast," the bluish-green one snorted, he was a foot smaller than the blackish one.

"Never mind that," the crimson-masked reptile said, his voice was oddly purring. He smiled strangely down at the petrified human. "Let's eat, and then go after our Master's enemies."

"I'm all for that," the largest reptile chuckled, his voice was really deep.

All three turtles bared their teeth and gave unearthly growls. Then they attacked the helpless human. He didn't even manage to scream as the bluish-green one sunk his teeth into his throat.

* * *

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"No and I have already warned you not to ask that."

"Are we…." Raphael couldn't get any further suddenly his mouth was stuffed with a magazine.

"I warned you," Tello grunted and got himself a new reading material.

"Bleh." Raph pulled the magazine out and let it drop on Donatello's lap. "That's yours I believe."

"Thank you," his brother snorted and threw the magazine into a bag used for trash.

Yo chuckled at his son's antics. Tello and Raph shared the common little brother/older brother relationship. Donatello never did anything harmful in retaliation to his brother, but he definitely struck back tenfold. Due to that, Raphael seldom did the same prank twice.

The jonin glanced to where his mate sat. In leaned a little in the seat and seemed to be half dozing. Mikey and Shadow were fast asleep, both with thumbs in their mouth. Yo smiled and looked now at Leonardo, his first-born grinned a little.

"Feeling a little more relaxed father?" Leo asked him.

"I must admit, that my mind is more at ease," the older turtle confessed.

"Ok we will soon be on the country road, so if you want to peek out, this is the least likely spot to be spotted," April announced from the drivers seat.

"Nothing much to see though, except trees," Casey commented.

"Nice." Tello shrugged and didn't look up from his reading.

"Let's see," Raph pulled he curtain back a bit and looked out. "Tree…. Tree… tree…. Tree… big turtle… tree… "

"What did you say?" Yo asked with a frown. Raphael looked at his father with wide-open eyes.

"I… I could have sworn I saw…" Raph whispered. Leonardo turned around since the seats he and Yo were in were placed under the window. He pulled the curtains away.

"F-father." Leo gasped in shock. Yo looked out and blinked.

"FLOOR IT APRIL! THE BLACK TURTLES ARE OUTSIDE!" Donatello had in the end looked out and saw the three large turtles outside. All of them seemed to have no problem keeping up with the vehicle.

"Oh god." April gasped and hammered her foot on the gas pedal.

"What is going on?" In had woken up and so did Mikey and Shadow.

"Our enemies are attacking," Yo told his mate gravely.

"Oh no," the turtle woman whispered.

Suddenly the car came to an abrupt halt even though April kept her foot on the gas. The luggage was thrown around, but everybody else was in belts so nobody was injured. The car died down and the woman began frantically to try to start the vehicle again. The back doors were ripped off their hinges and the large brown-green turtle stood there grinning madly.

"Hello there," he greeted them with a chuckle.

Yo wasted no words, in swift motions he had removed his belt and the disguise. Then he simple flew out kicking the big reptile in the face. One of his kusari-gama was out in a second as he launched another attack, having been success full in pushing the behemoth away from the van.

"Go my sons help your father" In ordered Leo, Raph and Tello. She was already out of her belt and trying to shield Mikey and Shadow from view. However, she feared it was too late and their enemies already knew.

Her three sons were though already in the process of removing their belts and disguise. Then they got their weapons and leaped out. Casey really wanted to join his friends in the fight but In had already ordered him to help April get the car starting.

"Tello, you take the Brute, Raph, you take the Weak One. I'll help father with the Experimentor," Leo ordered his brothers; he had dropped his mother's butterfly sword and grabbed his katanas from the strewn luggage. Donatello as well had retrieved his own weapon.

The three turtles then split up. The crimson masked turtle, The Brute was already approaching the van but was rammed away by Donatello. He swung his naginata and forced the large reptile away.

"You uglies really know how to ruin a nice vacation," Raphael remarked and attacked the dark-bluish green one, using his zai to slice at the turtle.

"What can I say, we are the regular party crashers," the Weak One snorted and tried to slam his fist into smaller turtle.

Leonardo and Yo faced the biggest turtle, the Experimentor so called. Yo had already driven him a bit further off. The large reptile roared and charged at them, Leonardo jumped and hew with his katana giving the behemoth a large cut on the legs.

"We must keep them busy until April and Casey get the van started again," Yo called. "Then we run back into the vehicle and try and lose them."

"We have no place to run to and they know it," Leonardo growled in frustration and gave the Experimentor another cut, but the big turtle kept healing at a rapid pace.

* * *

"Mother… w-w-who are they?" Mikey shivered in his mother's arms. In tried to keep him from watching his brothers and father fight, but the little turtle always managed to peek out. Additionally the turtle woman was trying to keep Shadow calm as well.

"Shh, don't watch my son," she whispered to him.

"Come on, come on." April grit her teeth. Casey had risked going outside to check under the hood.

"Try it again," the man called. The human woman tried to start the van. It started with a loud noise; Casey slammed the hood down and jumped inside the passenger seat.

* * *

"Good the car has started, let's go!" Yo shouted. Already his sons and he had lured the large turtles far enough away.

Leonardo jumped and landed on the Experimentor's shoulders, the turtle hewed and beheaded the behemoth. Then he jumped down and ran to the van with his father. Tello had done the same favor to the Brute, but Raph used his zai to apparently kill the Weak One.

They all jumped into the van that raced off, Yo and Tello stayed by the open back and watched as two turtles grabbed for their heads and put them back in place. The Weak One rose up as if nothing had happened.

"Damn them and their inability to die!" Donatello growled. He looked back into the van. "Everybody alright?"

"So much for keeping Mikey hidden." Leonardo sighed and shook his head.

"We must return to the city, we cannot risk them finding the farm…" Yo looked into the van but didn't get a chance to speak further.

Suddenly the Brute came leaping and landed in the opening where the back doors had been. The car for few moments only drove on the back wheels as the force lifted up the front. Tello was almost thrown out but managed to grab hold in a nearby handle. Leo and Raph where thrown to the floor but In just about managed to keep the children and herself in place.

The jonin was nowhere to be seen or the Brute. Donatello looked out and gasped in shock. The crimson-masked giant had grabbed for Yo and thrown him out of the car, before jumping out. The ninja master flew to the ground and landed very harshly, rolling on dirt road quite a distance before stopping on his plastron.

Yo groaned weakly and tried to rise up but something landed on his carapace and pinned him to the ground. The black-masked turtle gasped in pain, he was scraped and bruised and felt stinging pain all over his body. On top of his carapace, the Weak One crouched.

"Well, well, lookit who we got." The orange-masked reptile grinned. The Experimentor stepped in front of Yo sneering. The Brute came walking from behind.

"Hello Yo," the Experimentor spoke but it was not with his own voice, someone was speaking through him.

"Dark One." Yo grunted weakly, he grimaced in pain and it didn't help to have the six foot tall and several hundred pound turtle crouched on his carapace.

"Do not recruit him, I want him to suffer," the dark voice spoke to the Brute. The crimson-clad turtle nodded.

"Well you guys can suffer this!" Tello suddenly appeared hewing with the bladed end of his naginata. He gave the Brute a large cut and in the process forced him away.

"Get off my mate!" In landed a hard kick on the Weak One sending him off Yo and to the Experimentor. The behemoth jumped out of the way, causing the smaller turtle to land on the road.

"Raphael, Leonardo, get your father to the van," The turtle woman ordered and spun her own set of zai.

"I'm going to tear you apart!" the Brute snarled and hammered his fists on Tello who ducked and hewed again with his weapon.

In tried her best to distract the Experimentor, but her weapons were too short ranged to face him. He was maybe large and broad, but the turtle was quick. In was also only using her zai having not picked up her butterfly swords.

Suddenly, as the woman tried a stab, a large hand grabbed her wrist. The ground left her feet and she found herself being slammed to the ground. Groaning and struggling against the iron grip, the turtle was lifted into eye level of the Experimentor.

"Ah, In." the behemoth was still being used by the Dark One to speak through. "I've missed you and your screams when I took you."

"Well keep missing her." Leonardo suddenly came flying and cut off the arm holding his mother. Then he swiftly beheaded the Experimentor again. The ninja grabbed for his mother and ran with her back to the car.

Tello managed cut the Brute's head off as well. He then leaped to where Raphael fought the Weak One. The dark-bluish green reptile had been trying to sneak to the car. The big turtle decapitated him too.

"Get to the van," Donatello ordered his brother who quickly complied. With a growl, Tello picked up the head by the mask tails. He had really struggled to remain calm and not strike in anger, now the turtle was pissed off. The ninja ran to the other heads and grabbed them from the ground.

"You want your heads back?" the turtle snarled and spun all three, watching the bodies rising up and starting their search for their lost body parts.

"WELL FETCH!" Tello roared and threw the heads towards the nearby forest. He then ran to the van and it drove off on top speed.

 **End chapter 1**

* * *

 **A/N:** A lot of the YI turtles as these set of counterparts are called, are heavily based off the Mirage comic turtles, instead of the more common movie based or toon based turtles.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 15/10 2007

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

The atmosphere was a bit gloomy now in the van. Nobody had dared saying a word once they finally escaped from the three Black Turtles. Leonardo held Mikey in his arms; the child clung to him but did not cry. Casey had transferred himself to the back to be with Shadow, the little two years old girl was terribly upset.

On the floor lay Yo, he was in terrible shape after having been thrown out of the speeding vehicle, rolling on the dirt floor and then crushed by the Weak One. The jonin was conscious, but in pain. In knelt beside him and so did Tello, both had a first aid kit and were doing their best to mend the visible wounds. Raphael sat nearby watching worried.

"Y-You think we lost them?" April whispered. She was driving as fast as she dared now.

"We can only hope, but… the Weak One may be the weakest of them, yet his sense of smell rivals the best bloodhounds," Leonardo answered.

"That must be how they found us… they must have seen us leave the city and then followed." Raphael sighed and glanced out, the sun was slowly setting and sky was turning reddish orange.

"But hopefully it delayed them when Tello threw their heads out of reach," Casey mentioned, Shadow had finally calmed down and just cuddled in her father's arms.

"Maybe…" Yo spoke up and inhaled sharply when pain came over him. "I hope so as well…"

"Shh, don't speak my love, just rest," In hushed her mate and gently cupped his cheek. The black masked turtle smiled weakly at her.

"I'll… rest easier when I know… you are all safe," he whispered and closed his eyes.

"We'll reach the farmhouse soon," April announced as she turned into a byway.

"We…we must return to the city…" Yo again spoke up but was hushed once more by In.

"Father… you're in no shape to be driven all the way back to New York," Donatello told him.

"Donatello is right, my love, you have slight cracks on both your carapace and plastron. We cannot risk hours of travel back to the city," the turtle woman explained to her mate. Yo opened his eyes slightly and stared at her gravely, but didn't otherwise say a word.

"We did leave some stuff used for turtle shells back at the farmhouse last time we were there remember," Tello added but his father only nodded.

"Wait, they simply grow new limbs don't they? You don't suppose they can grow new heads?" Casey suddenly asked. The human felt a little relieved when Leonardo shook his head.

"It does seem to be the only thing they do not grow back, they have to pick the head up again and place it back. But their bodies will relentlessly search for it," he explained and looked down at Mikey who had fallen into uneasy sleep.

"Well… it only works if it is a clean beheading, trying to blow up the head doesn't seem to work," Tello pointed out.

They looked up when April began slowing the van down. In the dim light outside they saw the farmhouse. In some ways it was a relief, but it also meant that if their enemies were still out there, they could be found.

"Let's get your father in, Raphael aid us," In told her sons. Raph nodded and prepared help Donatello carry Yo into the farmhouse.

* * *

By some unnatural force, the large blackish green body of the Brute kept stumbling around. It still bled from the stump where the head used to be, but the large creature was not affected at all by it.

It was actually not so much as searching as it was more drawn to where the missing head was. The Brute was though rather helpless in this situation and the body definitely couldn't see. It hit many trees and stumbled over roots.

Suddenly the head appeared as if thrown and by some instincts the giant turtle caught it. Carefully the hands lifted it up and placed it on the stump. The supernatural healing process kicked in and the missing body part was sealed back, not showing a sign that it had been missing.

The Brute blinked as he got his senses back and shook his head for a minute. Then the reptile looked forward, wondering for a split second how he had acquired the head back. The giant blinked and his eyes opened wide when seeing why. The turtle looked down grimacing a little when there was an unearthly growl in front of him.

"Come!" he was commanded and obediently the Brute followed.

* * *

The Experimentor wasn't having better luck than the Brute, his body stumbled onward. His unnatural senses just couldn't hone in on the head. He had already crashed into few trees, causing them to fall.

Then the head was suddenly handed to him. Without hesitation, the body accepted it and placed it back on its proper place. The Experimentor growled and started to crack sore joints in his neck once it was fully healed. The turtle froze in the process; his eyes became wide as saucers.

"Let's move!" the dark voice ordered and the large behemoth of a turtle didn't even hesitate to obey.

* * *

"No, no, no… arrg over here!" the Weak One's head growled, watching his body spin around. For some reason he retained self-awareness once beheaded. However, he'd always been the odd one among the Black Turtles.

"Jeez who designed this stupid thing!" the orange masked reptile growled. The body had crashed into a tree.

"Honestly, I would have thought… whoa." The head was picked up and the Weak One could only watch as he was handed back to his body.

"Aaaah." the turtle sighed in relief when he was whole once more. However, it quickly vanished when seeing who stood before him.

The turtle, like the Brute, was blackish green in scale color and just as big and like the Experimentor he wore tattered and damaged gear. Like all the Black Turtles, he wore a damaged mask, navy blue in color. The carapace, the others had a dark green one, was pretty much black.

"Ehh…. Hiiiii…. How's it hanging?" The Weak One asked and quickly got prepared for the beating of his life time.

"All three of you, get before me!" the newly arrived turtle growled. The voice was dark and deep. It was the same one and had spoken to the Weak One in the city, the same and had spoken through the Experimentor. The Dark One had arrived.

Quickly, the three previously beheaded turtles knelt before him. None dared to stare straight at him. The Dark One glared down at them, the eyes almost burning holes into them.

"M-Master… I kno…" The Brute began but was slapped so hard that he flew to the ground with a broken neck. The other two turtles winched, but the newly "killed" turtle soon rose up again and returned to kneeling position.

"I don't want to hear pitiful excuses for how you failed AGAIN!" the dark-blue masked turtle snarled. "They didn't even have the access to the sewers and yet you three were defeated."

"Hey at least we found out that they have the fourth kid," the Weak One peeped. He was grabbed up by the mask tails, spun shouting in circles and sent sailing to a tree. Again, there was silence while the others waited for the turtle heal up and return.

"Anyone else wishes to comment?" the Dark One growled. The Experimentor suddenly rose up and cleared his throat. The blue-clad reptile growled, grabbed his throat and pulled him yelping down to eye level.

"M-master… we did injure Yo… that will slow them down. They can't go far… even on that vehicle. We… are too far from the city and he'll need to rest and heal," the behemoth quickly told this leader, nearly choking in the hold he was in.

"Hm." the black-greenish turtle actually looked like he was considering. Slowly he let go of the Experimentor who knelt back down wheezing and rubbing his neck.

"Kiss ass," the Weak One muttered. The large brownish-green turtle growled and suddenly lunged into the smaller reptile.

"Ow, ow, ow, YEAAAARGHHH!"

The Dark One ignored the fight between the two, though it was more like The Experimentor beating the tar and some more out of the Weak One. The blue-masked reptile was rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"AHHH! MY LEG DOES NOT BEND THAT WAY! AAARRRRGG!"

"Well it does now!" the Experimentor snarled.

"Brother," the Dark One addressed the Brute. The crimson masked turtle looked up before slowly rising.

"Show me everything, just in case I missed something," the leader said and cupped his cheek with the right hand. In the background the Weak One was still being beaten by the Experimentor.

"Interesting, so young, cannot be older than six or seven." The blue-masked reptile removed the hand. The Brute regarded him for a moment before suddenly grinning nastily.

"To young to fight us," he said in his purring voice.

"To young to withstand my mental powers," the Dark One chuckled. The two blackish green reptiles both roared in laughter.

The Experimentor came walking, covered in the Weak One's blood. The two darker turtles looked at him. In the behemoth's hand was the smaller reptile's head, whining and complaining. Nearby the body was slowly healing after being literally ripped apart.

"Cousin, give him back his head," the Dark One ordered. The brown-greenish giant looked extremely disappointed when hearing that.

"Aw… do I have to?" he asked, his leader just nodded. Sighing, the Experimentor threw the head to the body. The three big turtles then began walking off into the forest.

"Hey! HEY!" the Weak One called as he was fastening his head back on.

Wait for me!" Then simply racing on all fours the dark-bluish green turtle darted after them.

* * *

"How are you feeling father?" Leonardo asked as he knelt by the bed his father lay in. Yo's wounds had all been bandaged.

"I am better, thank you, Leonardo," the older turtle answered and smiled. "But my wounds are secondary to the safety of my family… I just hope that we remain safe."

"Mother and April were going to prepare some dinner. Should I bring…" Leo stopped and turned slightly, Yo rose a little and the two turtles stared at the half-open doorway.

Michelangelo stood there clutching a piece of paper. He looked a bit hesitant, did not stare directly at them. Most of the attention was on the floor. The boy swung one leg for a bit, as if he was unsure what to say.

"Am sorry…" the little turtle whispered, knowing he was interrupting, but the kid had an important mission to fulfill.

"It's alright, Michelangelo," Yo assured the boy and waved him to enter.

Leonardo shifted a bit to the side when Mikey approached the bed. The little turtle looked at the paper before handing it to Yo. The jonin accepted and noticed immediately that this was a drawing of him in full gear.

"I draw for you father," Mikey explained pointing at the drawing.

"Thank you my son, that is very thoughtful of you," Yo smiled and reached out to caress his son's head. The boy giggled and smiled wide.

"Come Mikey, we must let father rest." Leonardo rose up and placed one hand on his brother's shoulder. Yo lowered himself slowly back down. The turtle tried not to show any indication of pain, but Leo could see that his father still smarted.

"I believe I'll skip dinner for now my son, I think I'll try and sleep," the jonin told his oldest son.

"Very well father." Leonardo nodded. "Sleep well."

The two younger turtles left the bedroom and headed downstairs. Donatello, Raphael and Casey were in the living room. Shadow was in the kitchen with April and In.

"Hey Squirt." Tello grinned and grabbed his youngest brother as Mikey entered the living room. The boy giggled and squirmed as the large turtle suddenly tickled him.

"So how is Master Yo?" Casey wondered when seeing Leonardo enter. The ninja took a moment to watch smiling at the antics of his younger brothers, before looking at the human.

"He is better, but still in pain," the turtle answered and took a seat.

"Y-you think they will find us, Leo?" Raph asked looking worried. He had only been fighting against the Black Turtles for about a year, before that he only had heard his family talk about them vaguely.

"I hope not, Raph," his oldest brother responded. Leonardo wanted nothing more than to say something like 'of course not.' However, he was forced to be realistic and he knew his father would frown up on giving false hopes.

They were momentarily distracted by Mikey as he ran shrieking and giggling across the floor and further into the living room. After the little turtle came his much larger brother Donatello laughing. Leo chuckled, knowing that the bulky ninja was trying to distract their youngest sibling from the recent events. So far, he was doing a good job.

* * *

"Mother, are you alright?" April put a hand on In's shoulder. The turtle woman had suddenly stopped cutting carrots and had just stared at the counter.

"I-I'm fine, thank you," she said and smiled at the human. The white-masked reptile then continued to cut. "I just had a bad memory reminder."

"You and Master Yo must have many of them." The younger woman smiled solemnly now. Ever since she first met the turtles, she had always looked up to In and viewed her pretty much as her own mother.

"Too many," In confirmed with a nod, she herself often viewed April as her daughter. Even though only about 15 years separated them age wise.

"Shadow!" The human grabbed the girl before she could make a mess out of the saltshaker. The little girl was supposed to be 'helping', but was really just trying to get a head start on the dinner.

In chuckled as April scolded the little girl and sent her packing to the living room to be handled by the father. She then returned to the kitchen shaking hear head.

"That girl is as bad as her father." The human smiled, shaking her head. The turtle chuckled, looked at April and froze.

The younger woman blinked, noticing that In was staring past her she turned around. On the far wall was a calendar. It was not showing the current time as it had been few months since the family or any of the humans had been there. Almost in a trance, the white masked ninja walked to it and moved the calendar to the current month and date.

"W-what is wrong?" April put a hand on In's shoulder.

"I… I didn't realize that it was tomorrow," the reptile whispered worried.

"What?" The human was getting a little worried.

"Tomorrow are 28 years… since Yo and I… met them." The turtle looked down.

"28 years?" April frowned, even though she knew the turtles had fought the black ones for a long time. They never spoke about it in time frames, just in sentences like 'many years ago'.

"28 years… but that means… you two were only fifteen years old." The human gasped. "Only two year younger than Raph is now."

"Indeed… and we had just started to realize… that we loved each other." In got seated in a chair and April sat down in front of her, the human put a comforting hand on the turtle's left arm.

"As you know April, the one Yo and I called father, Master Splinter found us two in the sewers, swimming in some radioactive substance. It changed us all, Splinter took us in as his children and taught us what he knew and always tried to improve on it." The white-masked woman looked down.

"Father never really remembered clearly his past; he had vague memories of being called Splinter and of two men fighting near his cage. The cage broke but the two men mortally wounded each other and lay dead nearby. Splinter escaped and found us few days later," the turtle continued.

"For fifteen years we lived rather blissfully, occasionally going to the surface to scavenge or train a little when the dojo or the sewers didn't suffice. Splinter taught us the best he could, then my mate got a television working and we began improving our skills on what we saw there."

"But it changed 28 years ago, that's when the Dark One… found our world," In shuddered.

* * *

" _Shh, let's not wake father up," the black masked turtle shushed the white masked one. The two were sneaking towards the entrance of the small underground lair._

" _He'll have our shells if he finds out what we are doing," the female giggled._

" _What? Where not doing anything, it's an innocent training run," the male said with a smile. As he put a hand on the door-handle someone cleared his throat._

 _Wincing, the two turtles turned around only to see an elderly brown rat in a brownish robe. Both teenagers smiled nervously but the elder Ninja Master peered at them. The male turtle let go of the handle._

" _Son, daughter, I trust you have a good reason to be going out?" Splinter asked showing no hint in voice or face what he was thinking._

" _Ah, yes father… we wanted to go on a short training run together." The turtle that would later be known as Yo, explained._

" _Indeed, a bit late don't you think, my son?" The rat raised one eyebrow._

" _We couldn't sleep father," In said and shrugged._

" _I see." Splinter nodded thoughtful. The two turtles could just see the hundreds of back-flips waiting for them in the dojo._

" _Although I did put my blessing on your relationship, seeing as I could not in good conscience stand in your way, doesn't mean you are no longer my children. I do want both of you two be careful," the elder ninja said gravely._

" _We will be careful father, I promise." Yo tried to be as assuring as he could sound. Unfortunately, he was in the middle of his voice breaking period, so it came a bit high pitched._

 _Both In and Splinter tried their best not to smile or chuckle. The black-masked turtle was sensitive to this, it was as if his voice couldn't decide whether to be high or low any longer. They both always behaved as if he was speaking normally._

" _Hm, I have never had a reason not to trust you, my son. But I expect you two to be back within two hours," Splinter said. The two turtles nodded and bowed, then they left the lair._

* * *

" _That was embarrassing," Yo complained as he and In were on the surface. He usually spoke in a whisper to conceal the wandering of his voice._

" _It just means you are getting older, love." In smiled as she followed him up to a rooftop. The male turtle did not bother answering that._

 _Once on the top of the building, they hugged each other for a little while and kissed, just enjoying the company of their love. After that the two turtles started jumping between rooftops, chasing each other in a playful game of tag._

 _They ended though again in each other's arms on the top of a tall white apartment building. In leaned up against a wall and Yo started to gently nuzzle at her neck. The turtle woman smiled and then sighed contently. Too bad they only had about half an hour before having to return._

 _However, this moment of two lover's bliss was rudely interrupted. Suddenly the area around them was filled with brilliant bright light. Yo turned around and took one arm off In to avert his eyes. In shielded her face on the male turtle's shoulder._

" _What on earth…" The black-masked reptile blinked. The teenage girl slowly looked up._

 _Materializing from the bright light were four large shapes. As they formed fully, Yo and In could see these were turtles. Large ones, the smallest was six feet tall and the biggest had to be over seven feet tall._

 _The lightshow subsided and the newly arrived reptiles could be seen a bit clearer now. The teenagers blinked, the biggest one was brownish-green, the smallest was dark bluish, darker than Yo. Two were blackish green and one of them had a black carapace. Only one of the arrivals wore something, it was a crimson red mask. The others were naked._

" _Ahhh… that was strange," the black shelled turtle growled in a deep and dark voice. Then he glared up at the big brownish-green one. "Are you sure this was how it was supposed to work, cousin?"_

" _Yes Master, but there were bound to be some discomfort," the behemoth answered in an even deeper voice._

" _Heeeey, lookit that." The blue-greenish one's eyes fixed on the stunned teenagers._

" _Oh." 'Black Shell' looked at the young turtles and smiled strangely. "Looks like we have found some turtles."_

" _I-I… don't like this," In whispered, she had an odd feeling about these strangers. They did not look friendly at all. Yo frowned and slowly went for his katana._

" _Hey, hey it's alright," the black shelled turtles spoke raising one hand towards them. "We are friends."_

 _Yo blinked, there was something strange about that voice. It was unnaturally soothing and pleasant, especially for a voice so dark and deep. In shook her head, she definitely felt was something was wrong._

 _Two of the turtles, the behemoth and the smallest one-stepped forward with strange eager grins. However, the one in the crimson mask halted them. The black shelled turtle kept speaking to the teenagers, beckoning them to come._

" _Yes, we are your friends. We mean you no harm. Why don't you come closer, I wish to know a bit more about this world. We are travelers from afar," the black-greenish reptile continued to speak. The voice promised nothing but friendship and love._

 _Slowly Yo let go of the sword handle and In rose up. Yes, that voice sounded friendly enough and at a second glance, those new turtles didn't look so bad. The two teenagers looked at each other before taking one step forward. The black shelled turtle smiled eagerly but kept speaking in the same soothing tone._

" _NO!" Suddenly Splinter landed in front of the teenagers. He quickly whirled around and slapped both Yo and In on the cheeks._

" _Son and Daughter, wake up!" he commanded. The two turtles blinked as if they were newly awoken._

" _Quickly RUN!" the old rat commanded. The teenagers barely got a chance to realize what had happened. Their father dragged them off._

 _There were loud growls and they could hear the black shelled turtle command a chase. They were soon on a mad dash across the rooftops, fleeing the large turtles._

" _They are too fast." Splinter had taken a glance back and saw that the behemoth and the crimson red masked reptile were too close for comfort. For some reason the black-shelled one had not followed._

" _Quickly, we must escape into the sewers," the elder commanded and hurriedly the three jumped into an alley. As they were uncovering a manhole, the large brown green turtle landed on the ground with a thud. Next to him came the crimson masked one._

" _Open the manhole I'll cover you," Yo said and drew forth his katanas. The two turtles blinked when it was evident this guy was going to resist._

" _STAY BACK!" the black-masked reptile commanded. Unfortunately, it came out horribly high-pitched._

 _The two large turtles roared in laughter. Yo felt a burning feeling in his cheek. However, this had served a purpose. The giants were too distracted and soon the teenagers and Splinter where down in the sewers. Just at that moment the small bluish green one leaped into the alley._

" _Oooh great going guys," he snorted and peeked down, his shell made it impossible for him to go down. He peeked up at the two big reptiles._

" _And who is going to tell the Master this?" he asked sarcastically and received stinging glares._

 _The two giants returned to the black-shelled one carrying their ripped apart, complaining loudly, comrade in their arms._

* * *

" _Father?" Yo addressed the rat as they all ran through the tunnel and back to the lair._

" _Don't ask me how my son… I just felt terrible evil from those creatures and I knew they wished you harm," Splinter said gravely._

" _W-who were they?" In whispered, she was still getting over how they had been hypnotized._

" _I do not know Daughter," her father responded. "But I fear we will be seeing them again."_

 **End chapter 2**

* * *

 **A/N:** I don't recall ever seeing this in a turtle fic, voice breaking. It is a curse that befalls all teenage boys, girls do get it to in a far lesser extend but it is barely audible in them. Boys on the other hand

I was one of the lucky ones who had the rare occurrence of a quiet break. That's when it isn't really noticeable except when you actually raise your voice, it can though still be heard that your voice is changing.

But other boys, range constantly between falsetto and bass, some have it so bad that they don't even speak at all unless it's absolutely necessary that they open their mouths.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 28/10 2007

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

"That… must have been terrifying," April whispered, In nodded to confirm her comment.

"We didn't dare go to the surface for weeks, it wasn't until we began noticing reports about people being found torn apart and eaten… that Yo got curious," the turtle continued.

* * *

 _Yo slid down the roof and jumped when reaching the ledge. Nimbly the turtle landed on a rooftop. Dangling around his neck were old binoculars, though he wasn't sure how well he would see with them._

 _The news of eaten people had really caught his attention, they hadn't even begun until after that fateful night when he and In met those large turtles. In the end he snuck out, intending to investigate the matter._

 _He carefully hid behind a shed on the roof while considering where to go next. The ninja was close by where the last victim had been found. A homeless guy who looked like having been herded into a trap, where he was then eaten, leaving very little left._

' _Wish I had night vision goggles like I saw in that movie few days ago,' Yo thought as he tried the binoculars. He barely saw with them._

 _The turtle was about to move on when he saw two large shapes on a nearby rooftop. Then there was a slightly smaller one following them. Blinking the ninja brought up the binoculars and froze, recognizing the brown-green behemoth, the crimson masked brute and the blue-greenish one. However, there wasn't a sign of the black shelled one._

 _Suddenly the three turtles jumped up on the ledge and leaped in a single bound to another roof. Yo gasped, that leap would have required him to use a grappling hook. Then the ninja noticed them jump to another building before finally landing on the one he was hiding on._

' _Oh no,' Yo froze and waited. Fortunately, they didn't seem to have noticed him._

" _We have been coming here again and again; those turtles we saw aren't showing up. Let's just go home," the bluish-green one grumbled._

" _We have our orders from the Master," the crimson-masked turtle said in purring voice._

" _Yeah find those turtles and bring them to him, oh and kill and eat the rodent who stole them away," the behemoth snarled._

' _Eat who?' Yo frowned heavily, he didn't dare sneak a peek and the shed did block his view._

" _Meh, rats give me gas," the smallest of them grunted and for emphasis farted. The giants both laughed._

" _Well these trips have been fulfilling, the humans taste good," the largest chuckled darkly. "And I've gotten so many new subjects to experiment on."_

" _No wonder they dubbed you the Experimentor," the blusih-green turtle snickered._

" _It's better than yours, The Weak One," the brown-green reptile laughed and so did the crimson masked giant. Their companion sat down grumbling, but then his beak began to vibrate._

" _Hey, hey guys." He rose up again. The other two turned to look at him._

 _Behind his hiding place, Yo wondered what had happened. There was suddenly this heavy silence. Then the entire shed was ripped up and thrown away. The turtle jumped up only to face all three reptiles._

" _Well at least we got one of them," the crimson-masked one chuckled._

" _Stay back… you… you brutes!" Yo had no idea why but he was suddenly beginning to feel nervous. It was as if suddenly the three turtles were much larger and much more terrifying._

" _Brutes? Hm has a nice ring to it, hey that can be your name, The Brute, its better than Crimson." The Weak One pointed at the masked giant._

 _Yo was mildly surprised that the black-greenish reptile suddenly hammered the right fist into his smaller comrade. The Weak One was sent flying across the roof and down into an alley. Then the two giants turned back to the ninja._

" _Now, where were we," the Brute growled, the purring in his voice sounding more like a hiss. "Oh right. My master, the Dark One, wishes to meet you again and this time we are hoping with little less resistance."_

" _I am sorry, but I have to decline," Yo said and went for his sword. He didn't even register the speed; suddenly the ninja was picked up on the straps and held by the crimson turtle._

" _Oh I think you will accept our offer," he growled and bared his sharp teeth._

" _I do not think so." Yo did not struggle; the ninja realized already that these turtles were much stronger than him. However, the black-masked one was having difficulties concentrating; it was as if something was trying to tell him to be horribly afraid._

 _Yo acted almost purely on instincts, he drew out his sword and hewed it at the arm holding him. The Brute roared in pain and backed away. The Experimentor growled and charged, but the ninja was already darting for the ledge and leaped._

" _That's going to smart in the morning," the Weak One complained as he was climbing up. His head just barely escaped from being used as a platform by the black-masked one in his escape._

" _Hey watch it, I'm climbing here," the bluish-green turtle snorted. He had to duck when the Experimentor and the Brute came running and jumped after Yo._

" _Eh, you guys get him… I'm gonna grab a bite," he called after them and leaped down into the alley._

* * *

 _Yo ran and ran but he wasn't sure how much he could go on. These turtles had already shown incredible leaping abilities and previously, great speed. Nevertheless, he kept running until he finally ended up on the ledge of a roof and it was too far for him to jump._

' _No.' The ninja turned around only to see the Brute and the Experimentor land on the same roof, rise up and begin approaching._

' _What?' Yo noticed immediately that the crimson masked turtle had two arms, even though just few minutes ago the giant had lost one._

" _Young Turtle, you need not flee us. We truly mean you no harm," the Brute spoke up but it was not with his voice. The ninja blinked when he recognized the soothing, yet deep and dark voice of the black shelled turtle._

" _We are the Black Turtles; we have only the best interest in mind for all turtle kind," the Dark One continued._

" _B-By eating people?" Yo asked and glanced back down the ledge._

" _Humans are no better than cattle, fat, lazy, imperfect and weak. It are the turtles who are the true champions of nature, we have survived for millions of years. And I am ready to bring them to the glory we rightfully deserve," the Dark One growled and the Brute sneered, but then the expression changed into a smile. "Join us cousin, we can become great together. Resisting like this is futile and just delays the inevitable."_

 _Yo blinked when hearing this speech. Somehow, it sounded just too familiar. Like someone mad with power would say. The black masked turtle frowned and slowly behind his back went for a grabbling hook._

" _I fear I must decline, Dark One," the ninja said and leaped down._

" _Then Young Turtle. You have made a very powerful enemy tonight," the Dark One growled through the Brute._

* * *

In fell silent and April decided to finish the dinner preparation. Allowing the turtle to sit and rest. I hope that they didn't need to worry about the Black Turtles, but the human had a feeling they were not out of the woods yet.

The rest of the family, minus Yo as he was still sleeping, gathered by the dining table to eat a short while later. Neither April nor In mentioned what exactly the female turtle had discovered.

"You sure this is enough?" Raphael asked while watching Mikey pouring ketchup on his food. Most of the meat and vegetables were now covered.

"Little more," the boy stated and put a bit more on the meal.

"Hungry Tello?" Leo glanced at his younger brother; he was still piling on his plate. His large sibling just grunted and began shoveling the food into the mouth.

"Wow, there is still food left for us," Raph chuckled and received a glare from Donatello. Then he glanced back to Mikey and spotted red on his fingers.

"GAH, Mikey did you hurt yourself?" he almost jumped up in shock, ready to rush to get the med kit. However, the boy just licked his finger, staring up at Raphael.

"Just ketchup," the seven year old stated. His third oldest brother sighed in relief and sat back down. There were snorting giggles coming from Leo and Casey, Tello was shaking his head and rolling the eyes. In and April smiled and Shadow stared at Raph curiously.

"What… it could have been blood," Raph muttered, causing Leo and Casey to laugh outright now. Raphael would consider a slight bruise on Mikey a medical emergency.

"You're pathetic you know that," Tello grunted and kept eating. He glanced up when Leonardo put a hand on his shoulder.

"Hello Pot." The older turtle grinned and gestured to Raph. "Meet Kettle."

Donatello narrowed the eyes on his brother. It wasn't far off what Leo said. Tello was himself no better when it came to Mikey, though he needed a bit more to go into mother-hen mode like Raphael.

"Uh…" Leo noticed that both Raph and Tello were staring at him not very amused.

"Ah hell!" The eldest sibling jumped off his chair, before racing out of the kitchen with two peeved younger brothers after him.

"Never a dull moment at the dining table with Leo, Raph and Tello," April chuckled, the other adults nodded in agreement.

"Remind me to assign them some back flips and pushups for this misbehavior and leaving without finishing their dinner," In said rather casually and kept eating.

"I GIVE, I GIVE!" the shouts indicated that Leonardo had been caught and given whatever punishment his brothers felt fitting.

"Your brothers are silly," April told Mikey who was staring at the open kitchen door, wondering what his brothers were up to. The boy nodded in agreement.

* * *

 _Later that night._

" _Hello little one,"_ the voice greeted Mikey. The boy was fast asleep and deep in dreamland. It was almost the typical dream a kid would have, surrounded with his favorite toys and snacks. Anything his imagination could think of was there to entertain him.

" _Hello."_ Mikey looked up; he was holding a teddy bear that was quite alive and cuddling the boy.

" _What are you doing here all alone?"_ The voice drew closer, out of a large pile of stuffed toys came a normal turtle. It smiled warmly at the boy who tilted his head curiously.

" _I'm cuddling Bobo, he hurt his knee,"_ the child said and hugged the bear. The toy nodded in agreement.

" _You are a good friend, taking care of them so tenderly."_ The turtle crawled closer.

" _Yah, I luv them all."_ Mikey giggled and cuddled Bobo some more.

" _Aw, that's very sweet,"_ the apparent toy reptile said and smiled. The boy put Bobo down; the bear sat down and almost fell down but managed to gain balance.

" _You wanna hug, mister turtle?"_ Mikey asked and offered to pick up the turtle. However, it smiled and shook the head.

" _Actually I was hoping you would want to come and play with me and my friends."_ The toy looked around and then glanced back at the child.

" _Yah sure."_ The boy perked up and stood up. _"Where are your friends?"_

" _Just follow my voice little one."_ the turtle's voice changed and became more soothing and enchanting. It started to crawl away slowly with a sinister smile on the beak. _"Just follow me little one. Follow my voice."_

* * *

Raphael groaned and rose up. He really hated to wake up in the middle of the night to visit the bathroom. Somehow, the turtle always felt like the journey was a slow and painful process. However, his body would accept no dawdling and the ninja had to use all his willpower not to do the nasty business on the way.

"There is something to say about adult diapers," the young ninja muttered and stumbled across the hallway towards the bathroom. When his hand took the doorknob, the reptile found out to his horror that it was locked.

"Oh no, nononono, who's in there?" He tried to open but just confirmed what he already knew. Someone else was in the bathroom.

"It's me," Leo called from behind the door.

"Leo!" Raph cried. "Please hurry up; I don't know how much longer my tail can take this."

"You are just going to have to wait, I'm still using it," his older brother told him.

"Aw, come on Leo." The younger turtle was holding his lower region and jumped up and down few times.

"There is an outhouse; you can use that if you really must go at this minute." Leonardo pointed out.

"Leo." Raph looked positively shocked and disgusted. "I'm not using an outhouse."

"Didn't you really have to go?" the other turtle inquired.

"I'm not climbing down these stairs, going out, trekking through the darkness to an outhouse, especially with the risk of you know who out there somewhere," Raphael grunted and cringed a little when his body reminded him about the desperate business.

"That is a good point actually, guess you'll have to wait then," Leonardo said and chuckled a little.

"Leo… wait you aren't drawing this out just to torture me are you?" Raphael frowned.

"Would I do a thing like that?" the older reptile asked innocently.

"I know you, bro," Raph grunted and glared at the door. It opened slowly and Leo peeked out with a wide smile. Then he opened it fully and gestured inside.

"Here you go," Leonardo chuckled and stepped outside. His little brother grunted and darted inside closing the door almost with a slam.

Leonardo laughed quietly and headed back for his room. As he was walking past the other bedrooms, the reptile noticed one door was slightly open. Leo frowned and thought back, wondering if he had or not noticed this on the way to the bathroom. It was Mikey's room.

"Mikey?" Leo carefully opened the door fully and looked in. The ninja frowned and turned on the light, the bed was empty. The turtle almost immediately walked right back to the bathroom and knocked on it.

"It's taken," Raph called.

"I know, it's me Leo, did you see Mikey on the way to the bathroom?" his brother asked.

"No," Raphael answered after a moment's silence while he accessed his blurry memory. No, Mikey would definitely have been noticed. The boy never lost an opportunity to pounce his big brothers when they looked distracted.

"Maybe he's in the kitchen," Leo muttered and went to the stairs. On his way down, he could hear his brother flush the toilet.

There was not a sign of Mikey in the kitchen. Leonardo frowned and went to the living room, no young turtle boy in there. The reptile rubbed the back of his neck, wondering where his brother might have gone.

"Father and Mother would send him back to his room, but Mother would probably stay with him until he fell a sleep again." He walked back out and met Raph who was on his way down.

"No sign of him?" he asked.

"He could be in Tello's room." Leo started back up the stairs, his brother followed closely. It would be no surprise if they found the youngest turtle in there. Donatello, like Raphael, seldom could say no to him.

"Wait what if they are asleep, you know you best let a sleeping Tello lie." Raph put a hand on Leonardo's shoulder when they approached Donatello's bedroom door.

"Eh, the worst thing he'll do is bite our heads off," Leo chuckled and prepared to knock.

"But I like my head where it is," his little brother muttered and rubbed his neck gingerly.

Once the knock was made, there was a rumbling noise and then a growl. Tello often appeared like a deep sleeper, but in truth, the slightest sound could wake him up. Soon the door opened and down at the smaller turtle glared their bulky brother.

"This had better be good," he rumbled with squinted eyes.

"Is Mikey with you? He's not in his bed," Leo asked undaunted at the underlying threat from his other younger brother.

"No," Tello grumbled. "Maybe he's with Mother and Father."

"I doubt it, especially with Father injured." Leo glanced towards their parent's bedroom.

"I'm going to double check downstairs, maybe he hid when you came down, Leo, thinking it was a good time to play around," Raph said and darted back towards the stairs.

"Leo, next time…" Donatello glared back at his older brother. The big turtle was interrupted when Raphael suddenly shouted.

"THE FRONT DOOR IS OPEN!"

The two turtles looked at each other than down the hallway. Half a second later, both of them were speeding down the stairs and to the front hall where Raphael stood and pointed. Donatello and Leonardo both froze and blinked. The front door was wide open, but thanks to the front hall, it wasn't visible until you entered it.

"He's outside?" Leo whispered startled.

"MIKEY!" Tello rushed to the porch as he yelled. "MIKEY COME BACK HERE!"

"Raphael, Donatello, go upstairs and get your gear," Leonardo ordered and rushed upstairs, followed by his brothers.

* * *

" _Come little one, follow my voice, come."_ The voice echoed through the boy's head. Mikey stumbled through the woods clutching his teddy bear.

The voice had been irresistible for his young mind. In the waking world, the boy rose up out of his bed and headed unnoticed out. Once outside the heading was straight for the forest that surrounded the farmhouse.

" _My friends and I wait you, we just want to play with you. We want to be your friends."_ The voice kept going.

"Friends," Mikey whispered in a monotone voice. The eyes were blank and just stared forward.

The boy stumbled and lost his grip on the bear. Young Michelangelo continued without paying heed to it. All that mattered now was to get to the voice and his new friends. Then they would play. The boy was looking forward to it; he didn't have so many friends after all, safe for Shadow and his brothers.

"I'm coming," he said in the same voice and seemed to hurry his pace a bit.

" _Good, come little one, we wish you no harm. We just want to play with you. Come along,"_ the voice said.

Michelangelo began to slow down his pace after a while; soon he came to complete halt and just stood there. The boy started blankly forward like some robot waiting instructions. Out of the shadows near him, four large dark shapes began to approach.

"Go on, just say it," The Dark One chuckled and stared down at young Michelangelo, grinning.

"Great, stunning." The Weak One started to circle the boy, smirking.

"You truly are the Master," the Experimentor said with arms folded.

"Brilliant work, Master," the Brute commented, he was crouched beside the Dark One.

"And it's going to get better," the Dark One said and kneeled down in front of the boy, gently he grabbed Mikey's chin between his thumb and index finger.

"Now that I have Yo's youngest child at my mercy," he laughed darkly.

 **End chapter 3**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 04/11 2007

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

" _What happened?" In blinked when her mate came stumbling in, his left arm looked limp. She quickly rushed to his side and helped him sit down in a chair. Splinter came from his chamber frowning._

" _I… fell, when trying to get a human away from the Weak One and the Experimentor,"_ _the black-masked turtle admitted. "I think I broke my arm."_

" _Let me see my son." The old rat examined the arm carefully. Yo winced in pain._

" _We will have to make a cast for this." Splinter sighed and shook his head. He and In were starting to get good at that, three years had now passed since meeting the Black Turtles and they kept encountering them._

 _Yo and occasionally In, now actively went to try and prevent humans from becoming meals for them. Splinter usually stayed behind waiting and hoping his children didn't come injured home._

" _This is hopeless," Yo whispered and cringed when his father began working on setting the arm._

" _Don't say that, my love." In held his good hand, giving him all the support she could. However, her mate looked utterly defeated._

" _What is the point… they don't die. We've seen them get injuries that would kill anyone but not them. Their arms and legs just grow back. Behead them and the bodies just go look for the head. All there is left is to blow them up and somehow I suspect they will walk away from that too," the male turtle ranted._

" _My son, we are facing a very difficult battle. But even so you and your mate have done much good, you have saved many people from becoming food for those monsters," Splinter calmly explained while making the cast for Yo's arm._

" _But father… they are so powerful, how can we win this battle?" Yo looked at his father. "What is the point to fight them… if the battle will not be won?"_

" _You will find good reason my son to continue to fight," the elder assured him._

 _Yo didn't respond, just stared down at the floor as if in thought. In smiled and cupped his cheek gently. Her mate was soon wearing the cast and the arm was carefully put in a sling that hung around the ninja's neck._

" _I wish I could believe him," he then said when Splinter disappeared to his room to get some medicine to help with the pain._

" _You will," In said smiling widely._

Yo woke up and had to stop in mid-rise when his wounds reminded him that he was injured. The turtle watched In get up and hurry out of the bedroom. It had been the commotion outside that had woken up both of them. The Jonin frowned and listened to the voice outside.

"Leonardo, what is going on?"

"It's Mikey, Mother. He's gone out of his bed and outside."

"Are your brothers getting their gear?"

"Yes Mother we were just heading out."

"Good, wait for me."

In walked shortly later back into the bedroom to retrieve her weapons and gear. Her mate watched in silence, as the door had been open she could safely assume he had heard. Yo had to admit that he desperately wanted to join them, but knew that the injuries prevented him to leave the bed for now.

"Be careful my love," he said as In was fully dressed and heading out. She looked at him but didn't smile.

"I will," she said simply and walked out.

* * *

Downstairs, Raphael, Donatello and Leonardo waited on the porch outside. Tello was holding his naginata and was grim faced. Raph looked worried and twirled one sai. Leo had arms folded and stared towards the forest. Then their mother came out, the long white mask tails fluttering in the air. The turtle woman grabbed them and wrapped them up around her head, making it look like she had white war paint on.

"I have alerted Casey and April, they will guard your father and little Shadow. Spread out but be silent," she ordered.

"Mother?" Leonardo noticed that she looked more frightened than worried.

"He's here," she whispered staring at the forest. "Be careful my sons. Only retrieve your brother then run back here."

"Who's here?" Raphael asked.

"Do the math Raph, there was one Black Turtle missing when they attacked us on the road," Tello growled and stepped off the porch.

"Uh….oh." The younger turtle's face fell. So far he had only met the Dark One once, when he first met the Black Turtles. Somewhere deep within him Raphael had hoped that would be the only time.

 _But sometimes you can't get what you wish for,_ he thought and followed the others to the forest before they separated to start the search.

* * *

"Why don't we just invade the house, why wait here?" the Weak One grunted and paced around on all fours.

"Last time you three idiots did a frontal assault, you all lost your heads literally," the Dark One said. The large turtle sat on a log, on his lap was little Mikey still staring blankly forward. The evil reptile was caressing the boy's head as if he was a pet cat.

"But now you are here." The small Black Turtle pointed out and winced when receiving a dagger glare from the Dark One.

"Precisely and that's why we are doing it my way," his leader snapped giving an almost thunder like hiss in the process.

"Yo may be injured but he is not stupid. He would not allow his family to be in that house if there wasn't some form of an escape there," the Dark One explained more calmly. Then he looked at the boy and smiled. "But with their little precious boy here, they are forced to come out and search. Even spread out to cover more ground, making them more easy pickings."

' _Master, they have moved out of the house.'_ The telepathic message from the Experimentor reached the large turtle.

' _Good, follow one of them and take him out, do not follow In. She is mine'_ he gave the order.

' _I'm already following Leonardo'_ the purring voice of the Brute announced.

' _Then I'm following the youngest of them, Raphael,'_ The Experimentor claimed.

"Cousin, sniff out my son, do not engage him though. Draw him to me," the Dark One ordered the Weak One.

"Why do I always get the crazy jobs," the small Black Turtle complained but darted off before his master would enforce the order.

"So Michelangelo, why don't I tell you a little story while we wait." the Dark One looked at the expressionless boy. "You like stories don't you?"

"Yes," the child responded in the same monotone voice.

"Good," the dark-blue masked reptile chuckled.

"Several thousand years ago there was a race of humanoid turtles often called the Dark Sliders. They worshipped a god called Dular, called the Ultimate Black Turtle. It was said he would bring forth a son that would bring all Turtle kind to greatness unimaginable. Every year an infant boy was brought to Dular's temples in hopes that this boy would be the chosen son." The Dark One looked around before he continued.

"But each year the infant was rejected. Again and again the Dark Sliders tried but no avail. Soon it became more of a tradition to bring young boys to the temples than actually with the intention to have that boy becoming Dular's chosen son. But then one day in a small village of Dark Sliders a very mysterious turtle appeared," the evil reptile chuckled as if he was reliving some old memories.

"The Mystery Turtle was not darkish green like all Dark Sliders where. He was utterly black, not a single spot on him was other color. Even the eyes were black, no eye-white, nothing. The turtle showed no interest in anybody, he just walked among the villagers without a word. Then he just vanished into thin air." The Dark One glanced at Mikey.

"This continued in many villages and small towns. A mysterious black colored turtle appeared, walked around then vanished. Rumors began to spread that Dular himself was now walking amongst them. However, you see, belief in Dular had begun to dwindle and not everybody truly thought anything about him was true. Due to that there were people who doubted it was Dular, but of course they couldn't explain who it was in turn." The black turtle halted for a moment when he felt a presence but it turned out only to be a small squirrel that hurried away.

"This continued for over a year, the mystery turtle appeared all over the areas the Dark Sliders ruled. Then it stopped, no more turtle, no sightings, nothing. However, in Dular's temples all over appeared in black letters: 'I have chosen my son.' Nothing else stood there, just that sentence. And then a word arrived from a tiny village that a young boy had disappeared from there, he had gone on a hunt and never returned to his guardians." The black turtle now smiled wide.

"And you know what, Michelangelo?" he whispered before chuckling darkly. "I'm that little boy."

* * *

Leonardo walked forward, careful to listen to any signs of life. So far all he discovered was the local wildlife. The ninja didn't even dare whispering his brother's name in case an enemy was nearby. All the turtle could hope was he would spot the little boy.

 _What is he up to? Is he drawing us out to search for him?_ Leo frowned when realizing that they were probably doing exactly what the Dark One wanted, but there was nothing to do about that, they would always go and search for one of their own.

 _Sometimes you must do what the enemy wants you to do, to throw him off._ He remembered his grandfather's words from long time ago. It certainly seemed to apply now.

 _Please by safe Mikey._ Leonardo put one hand on one of his katanas. He wanted to be ready; every shadow could be a threat.

The turtle blinked, that wasn't right. Yo had always taught him and his brothers that the shadows were both allies and enemies. Allies as some could conceal them, enemies since they could do the same to the opposite force.

Leo jumped when hearing a slight crack. A bird chirped in the distance, causing the ninja to whirl around drawing his sword. Once more he blinked in confusion; the reptile was usually not this jumpy. Then it hit him, his breathing was accelerating and the darkness around him was looking a tad more frightening.

 _Oh no._ The ninja started to back slowly. Right in front of him appeared the crimson-masked reptile, The Brute smiled almost sweetly.

"Fear," he purred. "It's intoxicating. Can't you feel it, Leonardo? I can sense your fears."

Leonardo shook his head to try to focus. The Brute could magnify people's fears. Intensify them. Everything, the slightest sound, the smallest shadow would be a terrible threat, something you just had to run away from.

"You have always been sensitive to my powers, Leonardo," The Brute laughed and charged with a growl. Leonardo didn't even have a chance to resist; the larger turtle grabbed his throat and slammed him to the ground.

"Ah, little Leonardo. Yo's first born son. I'll enjoy immensely having you under my command." The Brute grinned before baring his sharp teeth.

* * *

Raphael looked down; the hands held a firm grip on his zai. Slowly the turtle began eyeing upwards, raising his head in the process. He really wasn't sure what to say, usually would find a clever remark but right not all words were lost on him.

"Erm…" The ninja raised an eye ridge. It was one thing to piss Tello off, his bulky brother never had any intentions to kill him for pranks or remarks. However, Raph wasn't sure he could say the same about this one.

Towering in front of him stood the largest of the Black Turtles, The Experimentor. A nasty grin was on his beak, the fingers on his hands flexed in and out for a moment. His breathing sounded more like a bull ready to charge. He made Tello look scrawny with his bulk. Raphael glanced at his weapons; these were toothpicks for his opponent.

 _There is no way I can beat him with those._ Raph eyed the Experimentor again.

"Didn't I break your arm once?" the behemoth asked almost curiously.

The ninja frowned when remembering that. It had been about a year ago, the Experimentor had ambushed Donatello in an old abandoned factory. In the rescue operation, Raphael's arm had been broken, but he shuddered more at memories of his brother's injuries. The Black Turtle had viciously tortured Tello.

The smaller turtle knew he would not stand a chance alone against this turtle. There was only one thing to do and Raph knew there would be just one shot to do it. However, there was a terrible risk that had to be committed.

"You know, I'm surprised that someone so large actually has the brain capacity to form a coherent sentence," Raphael claimed causing the Experimentor to growl darkly.

"Are you calling me stupid?" the turtle snarled.

"No, no, not at all. Stupid people at least have an IQ," the smaller one said. The giant growled, now even more pissed off.

With a roar the Experimentor charged. That was what Raphael needed; right now the Black Turtle was too enraged to be ready. Quickly the ninja aimed one sai and threw it, aiming straight for the head. It impaled the behemoth and he went crashing to the ground.

As the giant had begun falling, Raphael wasted no time to turn and high tail away. He didn't even bother to retrieve the sai. Weapons could be replaced, lives couldn't. Once the Experimentor would revive, the ninja was going to have one very, very, very pissed off Black Turtle after him.

* * *

"And you know what Michelangelo?"

"I'm that little boy."

In stepped into the clearing holding in one hand a butterfly sword and the other a sai, Mikey's teddy bear was on her belt. The white masked turtle stared grimly at the Dark One who sat on a log with her youngest child.

"Get your hands off my son, Dark One," she said sharply.

"Ah, In." the Dark One slowly looked towards the turtle woman. He smiled sweetly towards her. "Still as beautiful and radiant as ever."

"Let go off my son," In repeated.

"And what will you do if I don't?" the Black Turtle inquired, his voice sweet and soothing. One arm was around Mikey as if to support the boy.

"I will not let you have my children," she growled but tried to calm down. It would be too dangerous to strike while angry. In glared at the large turtle and sneered when noticing that he was regarding her with greed in the eyes.

"In, you don't seem to realize something." He picked up little Mikey and put him on the ground. Then the large turtle rose up still smiling sweetly.

"Michelangelo, Michelangelo run!" In shouted to her son but he didn't react. The Dark One chuckled.

"I'm afraid your son is under my command right now." He pointed at his temple for emphasis. Suddenly at speed one could hardly register, the large reptile was right in front of In.

"Go ahead, stab me," the Dark One whispered with a nasty grin and got even closer. The turtle woman backed away, not liking how close the giant was.

The Black Turtle laughed and kept approaching, In kept backing away hoping to at least draw his attention away from Mikey. However, she soon found her back up against a tree and the larger reptile kept coming closer. The woman really wanted to strike but right now was too angry; it would bring her straight under his control. The horrific realization hit her. She was trapped.

"In, why resist this. You know deep inside that you want this," the evil turtle whispered as he reached forward and gently cupped her cheek.

"Don't you remember? Not all your screams were those of pain. I bet you didn't tell Yo about that did you? The fact that at times you actually enjoyed the crushing weight of my body up against you." He started to gently caress her cheek. In shivered under the touch and her weapons fell from the trembling hands.

"Don't… touch me you beast!" she hissed and grabbed for the hand but couldn't pry it off. The woman glared and tears were forming in her eyes.

"Still as feisty as ever," the Dark One chuckled and started to bend over towards her. In struggled but was stuck. His other arm started to snake around the turtle's waist.

 _No, no, no, not again._ She was starting to panic and struggled more fiercely. Her eyes opened wide in terror when seeing that her enemy was opening his mouth to get ready and bite her.

"Hey 'dad'," was snorted and suddenly the blade end of a naginata was impaled into the Dark One's carapace.

The large turtle roared in pain and in the process let go of In. The woman dropped to the ground gasping. Her tormentor turned around, the naginata still impaled into his back. He glared at Donatello who stood nearby grinning. On the ground beside him was the head of the Weak One.

"Uh… I got him… but then he got me," the orange-masked Black Turtle said uneasily.

"Donatello, why do I have a feeling that previous statement was not said sincerely," he snarled.

"Don't you ever, ever lay your filth ridden hands on my mother again," Tello said very calmly.

"Maybe I should lay my filth ridden hands on you then," the Dark One growled and started to approach.

* * *

Raphael kept running, always expecting to hear a terrifying growl behind him. In fact, the ninja was surprised that so far he was running alone. However, that didn't deter him from continuing to run.

As his attention was more on what might happen behind him, he didn't pay too much heed to what was in front. Suddenly the turtle ran into something really big. There was a growl and the large shape seemed to move and lose grip on something. A sword flashed quickly in the air.

The ninja staggered back and blinked, witnessing the headless body of the Brute fall down. Leonardo had acted quickly once getting so unexpectedly free, hewed with his katana and decapitated the creature. Then the reptile jumped to his feet, grabbed the head and threw it as far as he could into the dark woods.

"Great timing Raphael," Leo whispered, sounding terrified.

"Uh right." His younger brother was still figuring out that he had rammed himself into an even more dangerous Black Turtle.

"We better get out of here before he finds his head," the older turtle then said, that kicked Raph back to reality.

"Ah right yes, because we might also have another giant pissed off killer turtle on our hands," he said looking worriedly the way he had come from.

"What do you mean?" Leonardo asked concerned.

"Oh you know, larger than the Brute, same color mask and Tello. Kind of insulted his intelligent and then got a lucky shot and killed him. Think he might take that personally," Raphael said grinning uneasily.

Leonardo stared at his brother wide eyed, then eyed up sharply as in the distance a tree crashed down with loud thud, then another one and the third. The earth even shock a bit at all the fallen trees and definitely something heavy coming at great speed.

"Raphael, I'm going to be very clear on this one," the older turtle said calmly.

"RUN!" he then shouted and flew off into the woods. Raphael did not dawdle and was right behind him. Then few seconds later the giant form of the Experimentor came charging through on all fours. If his heavy body slammed into a tree, it went crushing down at the force. The Black Turtle was really pissed off, just as Raph had predicted.

* * *

The Dark One approached growling. Donatello got ready for anything, his mother was half blocked from view and Mikey was somewhere behind him. The Weak One was silent for once, but grinned madly thinking his master would teach the smaller turtle a lesson.

"Now that I have your undivided attention, my son," the Black Turtle sneered and took a step closer.

Donatello was about to respond when the sound of shouting and screaming reached his ears. The Dark One heard it too and looked past the ninja. Tello glanced back and an eye ridge rose high on him.

"THEY ARE RIGHT BEHIND US!" Raphael shouted as he and Leo came running into the scene. The sounds of crashing trees were easily heard.

"Look there is Mikey, grab him!" Leonardo spotted where Michelangelo still stood motionless.

The two turtles didn't seem to have noticed the others, Raphael on the run scooped up his little brother and the two disappeared. Then the Experimentor and the Brute came roaring in anger, crashing trees as they went.

"Uuuh okay." The Weak One's head blinked.

Suddenly the Dark One screamed in pain and was pushed forward. Tello turned around and his eyes opened wide. In had risen back up and grabbed for the still impaled naginata. The woman was thrusting the weapon deeper inside then forcing the blade upwards. Before the Black Turtle could then react, the white-masked reptile yanked the weapon out and slashed with it, cutting the head off.

"Run Donatello!" She then ordered her son and darted off, still holding the naganata.

Tello frowned, grabbed the Dark One's head and drop kicked it far away as the body was rising up. Then he retrieved his mother's fallen weapons before starting in her direction. However, the large ninja halted and glanced down at the Weak One's head.

"Eh?" The orange-clad Black Turtle's eyes widened when the Donatello came and kicked the head, sending it flying off into the woods.

"AAAAAH!" The head screamed as it disappeared.

* * *

"Whoa." Raphael almost tripped when suddenly Mikey clung to him. The little boy had woken up from the Dark One's spell.

"Hey, there are Mother and Tello." Leo pointed out when their mother and brother joined them on the run. Right behind them came the two large pissed off Black Turtles.

"How is Michelangelo?" In asked looking at Raphael. However, she could see that her child was clinging to his brother and crying.

Raphael didn't get a chance to answer anyway; they ran out of the forest and were almost right in front of the house. Leonardo ordered everybody inside and they did. The turtle slammed the door shut after them, half expecting it to be broken down by their pursuers.

 _Huh?_ Leo was on his way to run further into the house when realizing nothing was happening. He looked back and peeked out of a nearby window. The Experimentor and the Brute stood just few meters away from the porch, staring shocked and almost terrified at something.

"The hell… how did they know…" the Brute snarled.

"The white turtle marking of Un, how?" The Experimentor blinked.

"Let's get out of here," the crimson masked turtle snapped and the two giants disappeared into the dark.

"Oookay." Leo risked opening the door, wondering what had spooked the Black Turtles. Then he glanced at the door and blinked.

On it was an old crudely painted turtle, white in color. Leonardo blinked as he touched the old drawing. He remembered Michelangelo splashing some white paint on the door. Instead of painting the door white, April had helped the boy to change the dots into a white turtle on the door.

"Leo?" Tello appeared in search for him. Leonardo looked at him then at the door again.

"They ran off…" he whispered then pointed at the drawing. "Because of this."

"Uh, weird," Donatello frowned and then shrugged. "Come on, Mother wants to see us all."

"Yeah," the older turtle said and closed the door before following his brother upstairs.

 **End chapter 4**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 27/11 2007

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

"Shh, it's alright Michelangelo, it's alright. You're safe," In whispered to her youngest son. Michelangelo clung now to her crying and shivering.

"What happened?" Yo asked and looked at his three older sons. Everybody had gathered in the bedroom for an emergency meeting. Only little Shadow remained sleeping in her parent's bedroom. April sat with In trying to help calming the youngest turtle down.

"The Dark One must have… hypnotized Mikey and lured him out," Tello growled.

"Then they tried to ambush us one by one," Leonardo added in, he and Donatello then told what happened in the forest. Raphael as well mentioned his encounter with the Experimentor.

"White turtle marking of Un?" Yo blinked when then hearing what had prevented the Black Turtles from breaking in. Leonardo told him about the painting on the door. April turned when hearing that.

"You mean that old painting I did with Mikey?" she asked surprised.

"Yeah, they looked actually terrified and surprised," Leo clarified.

"April, where did you get the idea for this turtle you and Michelangelo painted on the door?" Yo wondered glancing at the woman.

"Honestly… I have no idea. Just when Mikey accidentally splashed the paint on the door…" She stopped and frowned a bit in thought.

"I just got this idea suddenly to change it into a turtle, I just knew what I wanted to draw," the human chuckled. "Honestly it was almost like Mikey's hands and mine were being guided as we drew it. It was so inspired."

"Strange and this drawing apparently works in our favor right now," the Jonin rubbed his chin. "It does keep the Dark One and the others physically out of the building."

"Physically?" Casey inquired where he stood in the doorframe. Yo motioned to where Michelangelo still clung to his mother. He had stopped crying but the occasional whimper still escaped.

"He can still attack us on the mental plane." the old turtle frowned and lay down. "And that's where we must meet him."

"Father?" Leonardo blinked in surprise.

"Sons, sit down and concentrate," Yo ordered, the turtle already had his hands in position as if he was sitting in a lotus position.

"Do what your father says my sons… I'll remain here with Michelangelo," In told her sons.

Leonardo eyed his two other brothers, they all shrugged and sat on the floor in lotus positions. The humans could only watch as they closed their eyes and took deep breaths, In concentrated on Michelangelo. The little turtle still curled up in her arms and remained silent, but the fear was still in his eyes.

* * *

 _"Uh where are we?"_ Raphael asked and looked around. Nothing but darkness greeted him and the others.

 _"Darkness is not always an enemy my son."_ Yo stepped up beside him. _"Darkness is often the sign of nothing. Darkness and black means absence, but the moment we fill our minds with something the darkness retreats."_

It was as if on cue, suddenly the darkness left and they were on a grassy plane with a sunny sky. Two of the younger reptiles looked at their father blinking. Yo looked at them but did not smile.

 _"The mind can be a powerful thing. When you dream the laws of natural order no longer apply. Whatever you wish to appear, can appear."_ Yo looked around.

 _"So you imagined a grassy plane and we got a grassy plane?"_ Raph asked with a slight frown.

 _"No I did not,"_ his father said and looked at Leonardo who grinned uneasily.

 _"Eh… sorry, just thought we needed a bit of scenery."_ The oldest son rubbed the back of his neck.

 _"Let us focus my son we are here to meet with…"_ Their father stopped and glanced to his side. His sons did so as well and froze.

 _"Hello Yo."_ The Dark One stood there with arms folded and smirking. The younger turtles went for their weapons but Yo halted them.

 _"Dark One."_ the ninja master narrowed his eyes.

 _"Raphael, Leonardo, Donatello,"_ Raphael introduced himself and his brothers. _"Now why don't you scram and leave us alone?"_

 _"Raphael!"_ Yo said sternly, Leo and Tello palmed their faces and shook their heads. The Dark One laughed.

 _"Ah Raphael was it?"_ The large turtle glanced at the youngest reptile.

 _"Uh right…"_ Raph didn't like the look he was getting.

Suddenly the earth shook, almost causing Yo and his sons to lose their footing. However, all of them managed to keep balance. A crack opened near the Dark One and out of it rose two of his followers, The Experimentor and the Brute.

 _"RAPH!"_ Tello shouted when suddenly his brother disappeared along with the behemoth Black Turtle.

 _"Leonardo!"_ Yo reached for his son as Leo was suddenly engulfed in light and vanished, the Brute was also gone.

 _"WHAT DID YOU DO TO THEM?"_ Donatello snarled turning to the Dark One who was chuckling. Yo had to restrain his son.

 _"Donatello. Neither the Brute nor the Experimentor has the mental capability of the Dark One. They are only here because he brought them here,"_ his father whispered sharply. He eyed where their enemy still stood with a devious smirk.

 _"So to get them back we have to beat him. Good enough for me,"_ Tello sneered.

 _"Be warned Donatello, here physical power is not always enough,"_ his father warned.

* * *

 _"What the… where am I?"_ Leonardo looked around; he didn't quite recognize the setting. Still it was oddly familiar. It was down in the sewers; obviously, a lair of some sort but still the turtle was not sure he really knew it.

 _"In the deep bowels of your mind, Leonardo,"_ the purring voice of the Brute addressed him. The turtle whirled around with a frown, behind him stood the tall crimson clad reptile smiling oddly.

 _"My what?"_ Leo blinked and backed a bit, unsure what his enemy could do on this plane.

 _"Well since your father and your brothers are linked in this, we do have access to their minds as well."_ the Brute shrugged and folded his arms, regarding the smaller turtle carefully.

 _"To bad I can't recruit in this state. There is nothing to save you now from me,"_ he then chuckled and took a step forward.

 _"Stay back fiend!"_ The ninja went for his swords but his hands grabbed empty air. _Oh crap._

 _"You have no use for weapons here Leonardo,"_ The Brute laughed madly.

Leonardo was about to answer but then a child's cry interrupted him. The turtle blinked, he then looked at his grinning enemy. The crimson-masked giant just stood there now and seemed to be waiting.

"It's… it's a boy!" an excited voice shouted.

Leonardo blinked again then turned into the direction the voice had come from. Ignoring the Brute the turtle walked towards a doorway further inside. Silently the black-green giant followed.

"Congratulation my children, it has been a struggle to keep things right for the egg. But now the fruit of your labor is here, your own child," a bit older voice said.

Leo stood and stared into the room in shock. On a bed lay his mother, sitting by it was his father and holding a crying infant turtle. Standing by the bed was his late grandfather Splinter. Also on the bed were the remains of a large egg.

 _"Familiar isn't it?"_ The Brute chuckled. The ninja whirled around, but then he glanced back into the room.

His father did look excited and happy. Splinter looked pleased as well, but his mother, Leonardo frowned. She didn't look too interested, In nodded, half smiled but showed no indication that she wished to hold her child.

 _"This must be my birth… this is me,"_ Leo murmured. He kept staring at his mother.

 _"Your own mother doesn't seem to like you Leonardo,"_ the Brute commented, watching from behind the ninja. The smaller turtle glared up at him.

 _"She had to struggle with her old turtle instincts. But she overcame them,"_ he growled and looked back into the room.

Indeed the scene had changed a bit. In was now leaning a bit on Yo and reaching to caress the child on the head. First now did the turtle woman actually smile. The Brute snorted; apparently, things hadn't gone quite as planned.

"Father… I must admit that I wasn't sure you were…" Yo glanced carefully at Splinter, smiling nervously. "I wasn't sure if you were right… that I would find a reason you know… to keep fighting."

"But now?" the rat asked never dropping his smile.

"You were right." The black-masked turtle looked at the infant in his arms. "I must fight on, keep fighting and never stop. If not just to keep the humans from becoming feast for those devils… then at least to keep my family safe."

The Brute snorted again. He closed his eyes and looked like he was concentrating.

 _"I don't know what you were trying to do, by showing me this…"_ Leonardo fell silent when the scenery changed one more.

Now they were in what looked like a park setting. The ninja blinked for a moment as he took in the scenery, it was night by the looks of it and this looked all too familiar. Leo turned around to see the maliciously grinning crimson-masked reptile.

 _"I think this one will hit closer to home,"_ the Brute chuckled.

 _"This isn't…"_ Leonardo glanced back when he heard laughter. Then he saw himself, about 18 years old come running. After him came a blonde haired girl of the same age.

 _Oh no._ The ninja recognized this all too well.

The couple before him embraced for a moment and kissed. Leo felt a tear come into his eyes and silently started to count down. He knew what was going to happen and couldn't stop this. It had already happened; it was all in the past.

Suddenly with a roar, the large bulk of the Experimentor crashed through. The younger Leo pushed the girl away and turned around, drawing his swords in the same move. The Black Turtle attacked but the ninja slashed at him with the sword but at the same time ordered his girlfriend to run.

However, she never got far; suddenly the Brute appeared before her and grabbed the girl. She screamed, causing the younger Leonardo to turn. Another form came jumping and crashed into the turtle, the Weak One.

 _"Why are you showing me this?"_ the older Leo growled and turned to the other Brute.

 _"I'm Hamatoshi, the Brute, Crimson, The Black Turtle of Fear and Terror. Why do you think I'm showing you this,"_ the Black Turtle laughed.

Leo winched when hearing a scream but did not dare turning around. He knew too well what was happening and did not want to see it.

"ERICA!" his younger self cried out but then screamed in horrendous pain.

The older version knew what just occurred. His carapace had been smashed by a tree trunk by the Experimentor. By some miracle the turtle hadn't died, somehow the spine had escaped. Though Leonardo often suspected they had let him live. However, the carapace was almost ripped off him.

 _"She tasted so good,"_ the Brute commented before looking at his victim who stared hatefully at him.

 _"This is your worse nightmare isn't it? You still dream of this, it still scares you,"_ he commented. Leonardo did not respond. The turtle just closed his eyes tight when the last scream of pain and terror from his late girlfriend was abruptly halted.

* * *

 _"Whoa!"_ Raphael ducked and back-flipped out of range.

 _"So you're a little steamed still, over our little encounter right?"_ the turtle asked and had to dodge another incoming fist.

The Experimentor just growled and kept pressing on his attack. So far only Raph's speed had kept him out of harms way. They were in a dark forest setting, very similar to the woods outside the farmhouse. The moment the two had arrived there the behemoth had lunged for the smaller turtle.

 _"Ok, it was a lucky shot. You really have a nasty temper. I mean not even Tello is that bad,"_ Raphael kept talking and ducking out of the way.

 _"Right not in a talkative mood are you."_ The ninja jumped back a bit when the larger turtle leaped for him.

 _"Look I'm smaller and quicker than you. We are in our minds so stamina won't come much into this. I can do this all day."_ Raphael pointed out when there was a moment's pause on the attacks. The Experimentor narrowed his eyes on him.

 _"You're not very good at his are you? Well I shouldn't talk, I'm not very good at this myself,"_ the smaller turtle admitted and looked around. When his attention returned to the Black Turtle his eyes opened wide.

The Experimentor had ripped up a large tree and prepared to throw it at Raph. The turtle shrieked and jumped out of the way. It wasn't over; now the large reptile ripped up a large rock and threw it at him.

 _"Yah!"_ Raph cried out and had to throw himself to the ground when a particularly large tree trunk came sailing his way.

 _"Oh man…"_ the turtle didn't get further, suddenly he was picked up by the belt and turned around.

 _"My, what big teeth you have grandma."_ The ninja blinked when staring right into the snarling face of the Experimentor.

* * *

"To see this amount of concentration on Raph is uncanny," April muttered, she had for a moment looked at the four male turtles who all still meditated. She looked back at In who kept her youngest son in a tight hug. Casey had gone back to their bedroom to check on Shadow.

The woman frowned a little; Mikey had finally stopped crying and whimpering. Now the little turtle just huddled in his mother's arms. Yet the fright was still in his eyes. That was not what had caught April's attention, In did. The female turtle almost held her son like a security blanket right now and her eyes looked distant.

"Mother?" April put a hand gently on the turtle's shoulder. At that, the white-masked one seemed to regain focus back, eased her hold on Mikey and looked at the human.

"Yes, sorry, what?" In asked.

"Are you alright?" April inquired. The older woman didn't respond right away, instead she looked down at the little boy she held. Michelangelo clung to her.

"Can you call Casey and ask him to take Michelangelo for a little while," the turtle requested. The human nodded and rose up to leave the bedroom.

"Michelangelo, my Special Little Surprise," In whispered to her youngest son and rocked him a bit.

"I am going to talk with April for a little while. I want you to be with Casey in the meantime. You think you can handle that?" she asked gently, stroking her son on the carapace. The little boy huddled but then slowly nodded. April returned with Casey and In rose up from the bed.

"Hey little guy, how about we go down to the kitchen to have something to drink, like cocoa," the man said as the boy was shifted to him. Mikey actually perked up at hearing that. Casey then carried him from the bedroom.

"Let's talk elsewhere so we don't disturb the guys," April gestured In to follow her and the two women headed for Mikey's bedroom. There they sat down on the edge of the boy's bed.

"I know… we have never told you and Casey everything that has happened to us daughter," In whispered as she stared down at the floor. The human put a hand on her shoulder again.

"Hey, considering what devils you are dealing with. I'm not surprised," she said gently.

"I was once their captive," the turtle woman said, April nodded knowing that. In sighed deeply and a single tear escaped from under the mask. "And during that captivity… the Dark One had his every way with me."

April blinked, that particular point she had not known about. However, the human wasn't terribly surprised, there were some things Yo and In were tight lipped about. Carefully she put an arm around the white-masked turtle in a reassuring one-arm hug.

"And at the time I didn't even have my own mind… I had been recruited so I was a mindless drone, obeying his every order. It was a miracle that Yo and Master Splinter managed to free my mind again." In held back the tears now but her voice was very low and sad.

"And meeting him there… alone… in the woods… I just realized once more how dangerously powerful he is. I was at his mercy the moment I stepped into the clearing." the turtle woman closer her eyes tight. "If Donatello had not come…"

"But he did, that is what is important," April said in a low voice.

"You are right… as Father often said. It is pointless to think of what might have been. We all got away, we got Michelangelo back." In opened her eyes. "And the Dark One will not have me back."

"He'll have to walk through all of us before we allow that to happen," the human woman declared, now first did the turtle smile.

* * *

 _"You realize Dark One that you have lost. You did not succeed in luring us out and capture us one by one and neither you nor your followers can enter the house."_ Yo pointed out as he and Tello faced the powerful black turtle.

 _"Ah but Yo I don't need to enter the house."_ the Dark One smiled. _"Sooner or later, you and your little family will have to come out."_

 _"Dammit… he's right,"_ Tello muttered. _"We only have provisions for the weekend."_

 _"Have faith Donatello, we are not beaten yet,"_ the Jonin told his son.

 _"And may I remind you that on the physical plane you are injured Yo. You cannot protect them, they will be hindered by your broken and battered body,"_ the black-greenish reptile then mentioned rather casually.

 _"Your attempts to intimidate us Dark One are useless. We have beaten you before, we will continue doing just that,"_ Yo stated and folded his arms. Donatello nodded in agreement with his father.

 _"Beat me? You have had some lucky strokes I admit that,"_ the Dark One snorted. _"But let us see how strong you have become on the mental plane. It's been a while since our last duel here."_

Suddenly the large turtle punched into thin air. This had its effects; suddenly Yo was flung across the plain and landed harshly several meters away. Donatello blinked, this had happened in a split second. The Jonin jumped up and had a concentrated look on his face, the Dark One sneered and seemed suddenly to be pushed back.

Tello looked back and forth; this was obviously some form of a mental wrestling. The landscape started to shake and the bulky ninja almost lost his footing but managed to regain balance and continued to watch the two enemies battle.

 _'Ok, I have to help father but how? I'm not good at this mental stuff,'_ Donatello thought.

Again the earth shook and cracks started to form. Fire began spewing out and the sky turned blood red. The Dark One was roaring in anger and looked larger and even more terrifying than before. Tello blinked wondering just what the heck was going on. His father still looked the same but his eyes were closed and concentration heavy on the face.

 _"Donatello!"_ the deep voice of the Black Turtle suddenly addressed him. Tello looked up and blinked, the Dark One's eyes were glowing red and a malicious grin on his beak. Another quake caused the ninja to fall to the ground.

 _"Why will you not join me, Donatello? Can't you see how great you could become at my side?"_ the black turtle laughed. Then he pointed where Yo was struggling to keep standing.

 _"See who you are calling father, weak and frail, both in mind and body he can be crushed. He's no more than a bug that can be squashed."_ The large reptile glared at his enemy.

Donatello looked back to his father. Yo really was struggling now, shook and the sweat poured down. Fire spewed around him out of cracks in the ground. Slowly the bulky ninja eyed the Dark One again. Narrowing his eyes, Tello rose up.

 _"All the more reason for me then to go and help him,"_ the ninja declared with a frown. _"Because my father will always be Yo son of Splinter."_

With those words, Tello ran to where Yo barely stood. Rushed right through the fire and grabbed the older turtle into his arms. Donatello wasn't sure what exactly he could do so the ninja simply clung to his father.

 _"Father… please I don't know how, but just do it. Draw strength from me, I can help you. I'm with you,"_ he whispered shutting his eyes tight, trying to concentrate his whole mind to Yo.

 _"Thank… you… Donatello… my… son."_ He heard the deep and calm voice of his father address him. Yo looked suddenly a whole lot stronger and stood up straight, but Donatello did not let go of him.

 _"AAAAAAAAH!"_ Raphael suddenly crashed out of thin air followed by the Experimentor who lost his grip on the ninja. Nearby appeared Leonardo and the Brute.

 _"Guys!"_ Donatello opened his eyes a crack and noticed his brothers.

 _"Come Raphael!"_ Leo ordered his younger brother and rushed to where Yo and Tello were. Raph didn't hesitate, scrambled back to his feet and ran over to his brothers and father.

 _"I'm afraid we must retreat my sons. I'm getting to weary,"_ Yo declared. They could hear the Dark One roar in anger, but then everything went black.

* * *

Raphael blinked as his eyes opened, so did his brothers. All of them then began rubbing their eyes as if newly awoken. Leonardo rose first up and noticed his father lying awake on the bed; a worried frown was on the Jonin's face.

"Father?" he approached the bed.

"He's still out there…" Yo whispered and looked at Leonardo.

"Wow… he was doing it in my mind and I still feel like he brained me with a tree trunk," Raphael complained and grabbed his head, grimacing a bit in pain.

"Then you shouldn't worry, he didn't hit anything important," Tello remarked as he cracked sore joints in his neck.

"Hardy har," Raph snorted, then both of them looked at their father and Leonardo.

"So what now?" Donatello wondered.

"We will rest…" Yo said simply. Leonardo nodded and carefully sat on the edge of the bed, his brothers gathered by it.

"Father… the Brute… he tried to, I don't know," the eldest son began. He stopped when Yo put a hand on his arm.

"Yes I know… I could sense your distress. He was trying to break you, but you were stronger than he realized," his father whispered and smiled a bit.

"Eh, the Experimentor was content just to trash me around." Raphael shuddered but then grinned. "I don't think he likes me."

"If he did I would be worried," Tello remarked. They looked to the doorway when April and In appeared there. The turtle woman immediately entered and approached them.

"How did it go?" she asked, Leonardo rose up so his mother could sit beside Yo.

"Could have gone better," the Jonin remarked. "I'm afraid the Dark One was prepared for us when we arrived."

"We will rest for now and prepare more properly in the morning. Thankfully even the Black Turtles have to rest as well," Yo then said.

"Where is Mikey?" Leo asked and looked around for his youngest brother.

"Casey took him to the kitchen," April answered but she had to rush to her own bedroom to check on Shadow, the girl had woken up and cried out.

Leonardo looked at his parents who were now speaking to each other in low voices. The turtle nodded to his brothers to head out and the three reptiles left the bedroom. The ninjas headed downstairs where they found Mikey and Casey in the kitchen. The small boy held a mug of steaming cocoa, as did the human.

"Hey little guy." Raphael sat down beside his baby brother, putting one arm gently around him. "How ya doing?"

"'m'fine," Mikey shrugged.

"You did nothing wrong Mikey. You didn't know this could happen," Leonardo told him and sat down on the other side of the boy. Tello stood behind the seat Michelangelo sat on.

"You won't sleep alone tonight Mikey, you can sleep in my room," Leo then offered. The young turtle looked at his oldest brother, just to check if he was serious. When seeing that he was, Mikey smiled and reached to hug him.

"I'm going to sleep here in the living room, just in case," Tello grunted and walked out of the kitchen to head for the couch. Leonardo rose up but now holding Mikey.

"We all better head for bed, I have a feeling it will be a long day tomorrow," the turtle said and carried the boy out. Raph and Casey rose up as well, nodding pretty much in agreement.

 **End chapter 5**

* * *

 **A/N:** In case anybody was wondering, a whole lot of Raphael's attitude is based of his 80's toon incarnation. Since Tello is already there as the hothead, I needed to get Raph's attitude somewhere, and figured it was passable to use his more lighthearted Old toon persona.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 12/12 2007

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

The Experimentor and the Brute slowly opened their eyes. Then both of them quickly scrambled away sideways. The Weak One, who lay on the ground, raised his eye ridge as he watched his two large comrades flee.

"Uh, didn't go well I take it," he said and rose up to his knees. Their leader still had his eyes closed but the beak was starting to twitch.

Suddenly the Dark One rose up with a terrifying roar, grabbed the tree trunk he had sat on and threw it. Then a rock was picked up and thrown across the woods. The large Black Turtle grabbed for a tree and broke it down, and another and the third. His underlings all ducked out of the way.

"Well we can all see where Donatello gets his temper," the Weak One peeped where he hid under a bush.

"SO CLOSE!" the leader of the Black Turtles growled breaking yet another tree, the process of his temper tantrum had already enlarged the clearing quite a bit.

"Uh Master?" The Brute peeked from behind a tree that was actually not wide enough to hide him.

"What?" the Dark One snarled, glaring at his second in command.

"Maybe going on a hunt will calm you down? Come to think of it we are getting hungry," the crimson-masked reptile suggested, his leader narrowed his eyes.

The Weak One and the Experimentor winced at the horrible painful scream. The body parts flew around the clearing. The Brute's head landed next to the largest turtle that blinked and looked up. The Dark One was staring at him.

"Ow that gotta hurt," the smallest of Black Turtle cringed when the behemoth's spine and carapace were broken in two. Then the bush he was hiding in was ripped off. The bluish-green reptile looked up wide-eyed.

"WAITWATIWAIT!" the Weak One cried as his enraged leader grabbed him up.

"I can smell humans! There must be a village or something nearby. We could use them to lure Yo and his family out. They never seem to miss a chance to try and take our meals away!" the desperate reptile sped out of his mouth. Then he flinched and got prepared to be ripped into pieces.

When nothing happened, the small Black Turtle dared himself to open his eyes and look at the Dark One. The leader was rubbing the chin thoughtfully with his free hand. The other still held the Weak One by the mask tails.

"Hm, using the little turtle boy didn't work. But then again, they only had one target to focus on, maybe using more than one would work better," the Dark One mused.

"So…. Uh you liked my suggestion?" his underling asked and got ready to be beaten.

"That was very good cousin." The leader smiled and put the other turtle down. Then he put one arm gently around his shoulder. "You continue to surprise me."

"Eh you know… it just happens sometimes." The Weak One smiled nervously.

Behind them, the Brute and the Experimentor were rising up, newly healed from being mutilated by the Dark One. Neither of the large turtles complained, they just approached with their heads bowed.

"Lead the way cousin." The leader let go of the Weak One and pushed him a bit forward.

* * *

Tello grunted as he twisted and turned in the couch. It was too small for him and his bulk but the turtle was stubborn; he was determined to stay on guard down in the living room. He was the lightest sleeper and would thus be aware if anybody was going to walk out to the front hall.

Finally, the ninja managed to get somewhat of a comfortable position lying flat on his plastron. However, the turtle couldn't sleep; his mind was so heavy on the recent events. Donatello never really admitted it, but ever since finding out who his biological father was, he always felt a little guilty around his mother.

It had been shocking that he owed his size, bulk, strong resistance to injuries and illnesses and bad temper to his family's worst enemy. However, neither Yo nor In had ever treated him any differently than his brothers. Yet Tello wondered if his mother had been uncomfortable with him when he was first born. It had been difficult enough for her to suppress her instincts when Leo had been born, but what of him?

 _Ah hell, I'm never getting any sleep at this rate,_ Donatello grunted and slowly rose up to sit in the couch. He covered his face in his hands and leaned forward, resting the elbows on his knees.

 _Huh?_ He looked up sharply when hearing soft footsteps coming down the stairs.

"You are so much like your father now. If he wasn't injured, he would be sleeping down in the living room as well," In addressed her son when stepping into the doorway of the living room.

"Mother." Tello bowed his head, he had frozen a little when she mentioned his father, but relaxed when realizing that the woman meant Yo.

"Just figured… you know if anyone else was…" The younger reptile shrugged. In sat down beside him, gently the female turtle took one of his large hands and squeezed it reassuringly.

"My son, my Big Boy," In said smiling warmly at the bigger turtle, Tello grinned a little when hearing his mother's nickname for him.

In did have nicknames for all her sons. Leo was her 'Little Turtle', Donatello was her 'Big Boy', Raph her 'Baby' and little Mikey was her 'Little Special Surprise'. As the three older turtles grew older In dropped the nicknames except on some occasions, but Mikey still got a good doze of his name.

"What a way to start a relaxing trip," Donatello mentioned and dropped the grin.

"Yes, we must be more careful next time," his mother agreed.

"Mother… where you…" Tello stopped and looked away. In tilted her head, wondering what was on her son's mind.

"When… I don't now… when you… I was born…" He couldn't do it, the ninja just couldn't ask.

"Now that you do know… I guess I shouldn't keep this from you." In looked down and did look a little shameful. "I was a bit afraid of you when you were first born. But Yo and your grandfather helped me realize that you were not him, and would never be if we loved and cared about you."

"Mother… what happened?" Tello realized he was going into a dangerous territory right now. His parents had reluctantly admitted to their sons that In had once been captive of the Black Turtles. However, they had never dared asking what occurred, how it had happened.

"We… your father…" In sighed. "A horrible mistake was made my son. Your father still resents himself for it. So I ask you to never question him about this."

"Of course," Donatello nodded.

"Your brother Leonardo was four years old, we had been fighting the Dark One now for eight years," his mother began.

* * *

 _"How many is this my son?" Yo held up three fingers. The little turtle sitting in front of him frowned in thought._

 _"Three," the boy answered. His father smiled and nodded in approval._

 _"Very good, my son. Can you find that number in your book?" he then asked._

 _"Here." Yo's son, future Leonardo, pointed at the symbol three in the book in front of him._

 _"Very good, you have been practicing with your mother." The black-masked ninja nodded._

 _"Yup." The child beamed in pride. His father chuckled and patted him gently on the head._

 _"You can go into the kitchen and get yourself one cookie from the box," Yo told his son._

 _The boy put his book carefully down on the empty couch seat beside him, then jumped down and skipped towards the kitchen. The older turtle leaned back where he sat smiling for a moment. Then it dropped suddenly._

 _'It's almost time to go,' he thought. Leonardo came running again and blinked at the stern look Yo suddenly gave him._

 _"What have we told you about running in the lair?" the black-masked turtle asked sharply._

 _"Uh… no runnin'." The boy looked sheepish and eyed the floor._

 _"Sit down here and eat your cookie." His father patted the seat Leo had previously occupied. The child climbed back to the couch and started to munch on his treat._

 _"Oh, so my Little Turtle got a cookie?" In appeared behind the couch, she leaned forward to gently caress her son's scalp. The boy giggled and nodded._

 _Yo reached past his son to get the old worn number book. They had found it in a dumpster and it looked good enough to use. Their son was learning numbers and reading from it, though they didn't put much pressure on him while he was still so young._

 _"He did well and showed he's been practicing." Yo looked at his mate and smiled slightly._

 _"Of course he does," In chuckled and rose up and stretched._

 _"But I am afraid we have to go soon," the black-masked turtle said. Leonardo's face fell and the boy really looked crestfallen. Yo cupped his cheek. "You will understand one day why we must do this my son."_

 _"You know what you must do." In reached to put her hand on the boy's head who nodded sadly._

 _"Do what gran'father say, not stay up late, bruss me teeth," Leonardo counted up._

 _"That's, 'grandfather' and 'Brush my teeth'," Yo corrected the boy._

 _"Aw, come here my Little Turtle." In picked her son up to hug him. The child clung to her, really not wanting to let go._

 _"I take it is time for you to leave on patrol?" Splinter came from the dojo, the two adult turtles nodded._

 _"Come my grandson, we will find something to amuse ourselves with until it is time for bed," the old rat addressed the boy when In put him down to the floor._

 _"M'kay," the boy said but first went to hug his father. Yo picked his son up and gave him a tight embrace before putting him back down._

 _The two ninjas then went to the dojo to get their weapons before leaving the lair. The whole time Leonardo just stood there watching them go. Splinter had to prod the boy to come with him to the kitchen._

* * *

 _"He's growing so fast, it's unbelievable," In chuckled softly as she and Yo raced across the rooftops. Her mate was silent and did not comment._

 _"He's going to be big and strong, just like his father," the turtle woman added but again got no response._

 _In sighed, Yo really had hardened up on patrols after their son was born. Out there on the rooftops, he seldom spoke, carried a hard expression and was almost relentless against their enemies. It wasn't until they were once more in the lair that he softened up._

 _She couldn't say that she minded it, so far in battle it had served them well. The Weak One was starting to run off if he was hunting alone. Yo was more than his match. Only the other Black Turtles put up any kind of a fight._

 _Still at times, the woman wished her mate would at least speak to her up there. Before the boy was born, they had spoken to each other on patrols. Talked about what to do next, trying to predict the next moves of their enemies. Now that hardly happened at all._

 _"There!" Yo suddenly said and took off. In followed him, there had been strange sharpness in the tone of his voice._

 _"Be careful!" she called after him but her mate was very quick towards the shadow he had spotted._

 _Yo didn't hear her, the black-clad turtle was determined to get to his target. He jumped across the rooftop and came crashing on top of it. As he was raising his fist in order to hit, he realized something. The form was too small._

 _"Oh no," the turtle whispered, he had knocked out a human. In arrived shortly later and blinked in surprised._

 _"My love… what happened?" she asked shocked._

 _"I mistook the human for the Weak One," Yo said unnecessary sharply, though he was only angry with himself for making that mistake._

 _Quickly the turtle picked the man up, went to the door of the roof and put the guy inside. When he was done with that, the ninja returned to the rooftop. His mate stared at him with hands on her hips._

 _"Care to explain that?" she asked confused._

 _"I mistook him." Yo simply insisted._

 _"That has never happened before," In claimed. "What is wrong, for the past four year you have hardened up yes but you've never been this bad."_

 _"It's nothing," her mate said and looked around._

 _"That is not…" the woman halted when Yo seemed to see something._

 _"I see the Experimentor," he pointed. In turned around and blinked. That was definitely the behemoth Black Turtle she saw in the distance._

 _"We better… and there is the Weak One." She then spotted a smaller turtle on another rooftop._

 _"They are not going in the same direction. They must have split up," her mate narrowed his eyes. "I'll take the Experimentor, you handle the Weak One."_

 _"But I…" In couldn't get further Yo was already across the rooftop, heading for the gargantuan._

 _The woman glanced back to where the smaller Black Turtle was. He seemed to be searching. In shook her head and rushed across the roof and leaped, landing nimbly on the next one. Then she headed for the Weak One._

* * *

Donatello frowned as he listened to his mother tell the story. He was starting to suspect what mistake his father had made that day. The turtle looked at In who had halted for a moment in her tale.

"He… sent you alone against him… that was his mistake?" Tello just had to have it confirmed, In nodded slowly.

"Never remind your father of that my son. He wasn't thinking clearly that day and he still punishes himself for this, he does not need to be reminded of it," his mother said.

"I would never mother," her son assured her.

"Your father had just become too determined to fight them, to drive them off. It started to cloud his judgment. For a moment there he forgot that the Weak One had less and less hunted alone," In explained.

"But you could have then…" Tello stated but was silenced, his mother smiled solemnly.

"Your father wasn't the only one to make mistake that day, I too had forgotten that fact. I was still a bit shocked that your father had attacked a defenseless human," she said.

* * *

 _"Oh hello there." The Weak One grinned when seeing In appear right in front of him._

 _"I think you better return back to wherever you always come from," the woman said with a frown. She was holding her butterfly-swords._

 _"I don't think so, not today," the Black Turtle chuckled and rose up to stand on two legs. In frowned, that was not the usual behavior of this one._

 _Suddenly a black-greenish hand grabbed her wrist and she was thrown up against a wall. The force of the impact knocked the weapons from her hands. The woman struggled against the grip and tried to kick, but she was only slammed once more to the wall._

 _"I think our Master will be pleased that we got at least one of them," the purring voice of the Brute said, identifying her attacker. In was barely conscious now, weakly she looked up only to see a fist arrive punching her in the face hard. That knocked her out._

* * *

 _Yo frowned. So far the Experimentor had just kept his distance from him. The turtle could never get close enough to actually strike. The black-masked ninja had now been following him for an hour, but the large reptile showed no indication that he was actually hunting._

 _'What are you up to,' the smaller turtle thought._

 _'And what was the Weak One doing so far awa…' The turtle froze. He suddenly realized that the Weak One wouldn't be this far away from the big turtle if another one wasn't also nearby._

 _"Oh no," he whispered and took off back to where he and In had spotted the smaller Black Turtle._

 _'No!' Yo saw in the distance where the Brute and the Weak One were leaping across rooftops. Slung over the crimson-masked turtle's shoulder was unconscious In._

 _The black-masked turtle never reached them. Suddenly almost out of nowhere the Experimentor appeared next to his comrades. He held up a device and the three Black Turtles and In disappeared in a flash._

 _"NOO!" Yo screamed and made a desperate dash towards the flashing, but they were already gone._

* * *

"Your grandfather told me that those months I was captive, your father couldn't even look at him or Leonardo. He was so shameful that for a while Master Splinter feared he might take drastic actions," In told Tello who nodded slowly.

"But I was… made into a cousin and the Dark One…" the woman stopped and had to calm herself down.

"You don't have to tell anything about that Mother," Donatello assured her. She smiled weakly.

"I am not quite sure how your father managed to rescue me. According to Master Splinter he managed to steal one of the devices the Experimentor used to get to our world. Yo never liked and still does not to talk about those events. The things he saw when going through the Black Lair in search of me…" Again she had to stop.

"The important thing is, that he did get me just before the Dark One himself caught him. Then with Master Splinter's help they via meditation managed to free me," In continued, her son nodded. Tello wasn't sure himself if he wanted to hear the details.

"When did you discover you were… pregnant?" he asked.

"Your father pointed it out," In answered.

* * *

 _Yo leaned in the kitchen doorway, watching his mate making tea. It was now a month since they had freed her and In had yet to smile. So far, she was silent or if the woman spoke it was in a whisper._

 _Their son did of course not understand this change in behavior. He just wanted his mother again, but In wasn't very receptive to the child. Yo and Splinter had to keep Leonardo occupied but it didn't always work._

 _The black-clad turtle walked into the kitchen and stopped by the table. In made no sign that she had noticed him at all. The woman just continued preparing the tea. Yo really wanted to just hug and comfort her, but his mate wasn't comfortable with that right now._

 _"My…" Yo stopped when In turned slightly revealing a part of her plastron._

 _"Love could you turn around?" he asked, his eyes open wide in surprise. His mate did so, staring gravely back at him. The male turtle approached slowly and looked at the lower half of her stomach plates. A slight part of them were starting to bulge out a little._

 _"Y-you're pregnant," Yo whispered. In blinked and looked down, then she felt for her abdomen. Her eyes grew wider and wider._

 _"Mother, mother!" Their son came running; in his hand was a paper. The turtle woman rushed past the boy and out of the kitchen. Yo cringed when hearing the bedroom door slam shut._

 _"What I do?" the child asked shocked and startled. His father gently picked him up._

 _"You did nothing, my son, your mother was just startled by something," Yo said soothingly, his son clung to him._

 _As the ninja stepped into the entrance, he could see where Splinter was already by the bedroom. The old rat knocked gently and addressed the turtle woman inside. After a moment the elder stepped in. Yo decided to distract his son in the meantime._

 _"What do you have there, my son?" he asked, meaning the paper the boy held._

 _"Uh… gift for Mother." The child held up the paper. It had several numbers in it and the whole English alphabet. Crudely written but obviously done with much effort._

 _"Ah, you've been practicing." The older turtle smiled. His son nodded, fiddling with the paper._

 _"Come my son, let's see if your gift won't cheer your mother up," Yo said and carried the child to the bedroom._

 _In sat on the bed and stared down to the floor. Splinter was besides her talking to her in a low voice. Only the rat looked up when the two male turtles entered. He didn't say anything just nodded to them._

 _"Show your mother, son." Yo put the boy down who hurried over to his mother._

 _"See mother." The boy showed the paper. In blinked and took the paper, for a moment she just stared at it then glanced at her son._

 _"Ah practice." The child beamed. His mother had to swallow a lump in her throat before smiling. Then the woman hugged the boy._

 _"Very good my Little Turtle," she whispered to him. "I'm so proud of you."_

 _"Come my grandson, I believe your parents need to speak." Splinter now addressed the boy and rose up. The boy nodded, hugged his mother again before leaving the room with the rat._

 _Yo approached the bed and sat down. In avoided to look at him, focused the attention on the floor. The black-masked turtle knew very well, what he wanted to say, he was just unsure how to say it. In the end, he looked at his mate and carefully drew himself closer to her._

 _"Love…" he started and with hesitation put one arm gently around In's shoulder._

 _"It doesn't matter how it was conceived, it is our child. We will raise it, our son will have a sibling he can play with and Splinter will have another grandchild to be proud of. We will have another child to love," he told her and carefully put his free hand on In's stomach plates._

 _"And my love… I am truly sorry how I behaved few months ago. I should not have been so reckless and determined. Do not punish yourself for my mistake. I love you and always will. You have my soul and my heart and no one else." Yo took the risk to draw In closer to him and was pleasantly surprised that she didn't resist._

* * *

"When he spoke those words I could feel so strongly the sincerity and how sorry he was that I was captured. It helped a lot as well that never once did it cross his mind to recognize the Dark One as your father. He claimed you as his child the moment he realized I was pregnant," the woman explained to Tello.

"Yeah…" Donatello nodded. He had always been grateful for that, Yo never referred to him as anything but his son.

"Of course your hatching did provide us with a slight problem," In then added and smiled a bit.

"Right… I was supposed to be a girl." Tello hung his head but was chuckling.

"Indeed, so far only Master Splinter had a name, we didn't," his mother said and now was giggling slightly. "So we had to find names on you two."

"How did you pick the names again?" Donatello wondered.

"Well, as you know it was your father who got a television working and we did watch it a lot during our free time. Mostly because we did get a whole lot of information, especially the news and the history channels," In explained and her son nodded knowing that. Yo was the only one who was allowed to fix the television at home. Not even Tello was allowed near it when it broke.

"And your father remembered watching one show about an Italian mathematician, Fiboacci I think he was called, but his name was also Leonardo. We found that one easier to pronounce and since then your brother was called Leonardo," his mother explained.

"Fibonacci," Tello corrected his mother's pronunciation. "He did some good work on the mathematic field in the Middle Ages."

"As for your name, again your father remembered a name from the television again. And it did fit a bit well with Leonardo and you carry that name now," In told him.

"The only Donatello I can think of that he could have heard of is Donato Di Niccoló Di Betto Bardi. Also called Donatello," the big turtle pondered. "A renaissance artist."

"That could well have been, your father did not remember where exactly he heard the name," his mother nodded.

"And you picked Yo and In, the Japanese version of Yin and Yang." Tello looked at his mother who nodded.

Tello had to admit feeling a bit better now after hearing this. He always had plenty of opportunities to feel like an outsider in the family. He was the largest, strongest, healed far quicker than the others and had a big temper. However, never once had that really occurred, Donatello always felt part of the family.

A gleam of light caught his attention and the turtle looked out the window. In did so as well and they saw the sun rise slowly up in the horizon. It was morning now and soon time to prepare against their enemies.

"Since we are already up, let us go and prepare some breakfast for the others," his mother suggested. Tello nodded and they both rose up and left the living room.

 **End chapter 6**

* * *

 **A/N:** You have probably noticed already that in the flashback I do mention their names in the narrative text but not in dialogue. Since we already know who is who, but they personally have not yet started to call each other with names. That is the reason why Yo and In seldom refer to each other by name in casual dialogue, they simply just aren't used to it.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 30/12 2007

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

"Mikey," Leo shook his little brother gently. "Mikey wake up, it's time for breakfast."

"Five more minutes?" the little turtle whispered, his head was still sunk into the pillow with only one eye peering at the older reptile.

"No, Mother wants us all down," Leonardo told him.

"Four more minutes?" The child kept trying to negotiate.

"Michelangelo!" his oldest brother added a slight more sharpness into his voice, his sensei voice. He was after all the boy's teacher.

"Aw…." Mikey did a dramatic sigh and yawned long, trying to be as cute as possible and show how tired he was. However, the little turtle sat up eventually and was handed his mask and belt.

Leonardo stood up right and folded his arms while waiting for his brother to dress up. Michelangelo did so quickly since he had less gear to put on. Then the boy jumped down from the bed. The older reptile was a bit relieved that his sibling did look unaffected after the unpleasantness of yesterday, maybe because Mikey had been hypnotized for a majority of the time. It had probably been more like a nightmare for the boy that he woke up from. Now with a new day, it was all gone.

"Alright, come along." Leo gestured out of the room and Mikey skipped out. The boy stopped on his way to the stairs and turned around.

"Father!" he chirped and ran further down the hallway. When Leonardo came out of the room he saw Yo there, supporting himself on the wall and was being hugged by the boy.

"Good morning my sons," the jonin greeted with a smile and put one hand on Mikey's head.

"Father, shouldn't you be in the bed?" Leo asked while approaching.

"I can walk, and I want to be with my family," Yo insisted but did accept support from his first born instead of the wall. Mikey got to hold his other hand.

Leonardo helped his father down the stairs, all the time worrying that his wounds might act up. However, the jonin only showed one indication of pain when leaning slightly at one point. The younger turtle didn't relax really until they were down on the ground floor.

"I better go and see if Leonardo isn't coming with Michelangelo, I already called them." In appeared in the kitchen doorway and stopped short.

"Hello my love, you look beautiful this morning as you always do," Yo greeted his mate with a smile.

"I'm usually flattered by your bottomless bag of compliments, love, but it will not excuse why you are up," the white-masked turtle said and approached them.

"It was well worth the try," her mate chuckled, Mikey grinned and Leo smiled shaking his head.

"I can sit upright, I wish to be with my family," Yo told In who had her arms folded and a not so amused expression.

"Very well but then you will lay down on the couch at the very least," she insisted.

"I submit myself to your will, but right now I'm hungry," the normally black-masked turtle said, now first did In smile.

"Well we can't let your father go hungry, pull him into the kitchen," she said and walked before them back in.

"Father!" Tello and Raphael rose up when seeing the jonin arrive in the kitchen, April and Casey did the same.

"Please… sit back down, I'm in no condition to be a jonin right now," Yo chuckled and was helped sit down by Leonardo. Mikey planted himself on a seat right next to his father.

"It is good to see you up father," Raph mentioned before continuing to eat, the older turtle nodded smiling.

"I only wish we were having a breakfast under better circumstances," Yo mentioned before getting his share of the food from In.

"Granpa!" Shadow chirped and waved from her high chair.

"Good morning to you, Shadow, it is good to see you're doing well," the jonin smiled at the human child who giggled.

The reminder of the breakfast was eaten in peace. Mikey did though talk with his father about what he was dreaming last night. Yo listened very interested to his youngest son. In listened as well, but the rest of the family concentrated on their food.

"Now then, Leonardo, Raphael, you clean up." In started to issue the chores for this morning. "Donatello and Michelangelo, you help your father to the couch and make sure he does not leave it."

"I can help clean up," Casey offered.

"I thought we were on vacation," Raphael grumbled as he rose up to take the dishes. Before his mother could open her mouth to respond, she froze.

"YO!" A dark voice bellowed from the outside.

"Leonardo, Donatello, you're with me," In said sharply and rose up. Fortunately, due to the presence of their enemies in the woods, her sons were armed. The three turtles immediately went to the front hall.

"Oh shit!" Tello peeked out the window. Outside, about thirty or forty meters away from the porch stood the Dark One.

"Let's see what the fiend wants." In carefully opened the door and stepped out. Donatello and Leonardo followed weapons drawn.

"Ah, Yo is improving his welcoming. Sending such a pretty sight to greet me," the Black Turtle chuckled; his hands were behind his carapace.

 _He stands rather straight…_ Tello noticed that their enemy stood completely still and erect. Almost as if he was hiding something.

"What do you want Dark One?" In demanded holding her butterfly swords tight.

"I really would like to speak with Yo this time," the Dark One said sweetly, cocking his head a bit while regarding the turtle woman.

"You heard my mate!" Yo suddenly stumbled out on the porch, the jonin had to support himself on the doorway. Raphael was right behind him sending an apologetic look to his mother.

"Oh this is great," the Black Turtle laughed. "Yo, you're barely standing upright."

"That's not why you came," the normally black-masked one stepped out, ignoring Tello's offer to help him. The turtle leaned slightly on the porch railing, staring grimly at his enemy.

"No you're right Yo, that's not why I am here." The Dark One nodded and then smiled deviously.

"You see, I did almost have your family last night, they were forced to split up. The only problem was we only had one hostage. Your sons didn't have to worry that much when facing the others." The black-greenish turtle shook his head; suddenly his hands came from behind his back. One dragged forth a terrified human woman.

The turtles on the porch blinked in surprise and shock. The woman's clothes were torn and she had clearly been beaten up a bit. The Dark One held her left arm very tightly. His other hand then went to grab her chin to force her to stare right at the house.

"This sweet little lady and her family were staying in a nearby cabin," the Black Turtle spoke softly, still staring at Yo. "Two children, one husband and her brother were with her. We thought first it was a village we had spotted but this is just as good."

"What have you done with her family?" Yo asked gravely.

"Oh nothing, nothing yet," the Dark One chuckled, gently rubbing the woman's cheeks with his fingers.

"The children I sent with the Weak One, her brother is with the Experimentor and the husband is with Crimson or the Brute like you call him," he continued. "You and your family have twelve hours to give up."

"Or you will… eat them," the jonin didn't need to hear what would happen if they didn't comply.

"You know us well, Yo, and you know well that within twelve hours we will have gone for too long without food," the Dark One grinned devilishly now.

"And then they will enter a frenzied state where they will stop at nothing until they have at least eaten one human each," Donatello whispered and gulped. "Nothing else will satisfy their hunger."

"And there are just enough humans for each of them." Leo looked down.

"Twelve hours Yo, oh and please by all means you and your family is welcome to come and try and rescue them," the Black Turtle laughed and grabbed the woman up into his arms. She shrieked and cried out. However, the Dark One was then gone in an instance, using his supernatural speed to disappear.

"If they don't get a human soon enough after they enter their frenzy they will have to return to their own dimension. That's the only place where they do not require feeding." Yo frowned.

"How long after?" Raphael asked.

"They have ten minutes," In said and approached her mate to help him rise up.

"Ten is enough time for them to reach the nearest settlement, like their speed is," Tello growled.

"Not if we keep their attention focused on this building. When in their frenzy they are not in their clearest thinking state," Yo said and walked in supported by In.

"Won't they just keep a reserve of humans nearby?" Leonardo wondered.

"No, when reaching their frenzy state they would be too tempted to eat those humans. The Dark One wants the danger there, he wants us to fail those twelve hours and have us watch them eat that woman's family," the jonin explained while he lowered carefully to the couch.

"So what do we do?" Tello asked.

"We rescue that woman and her family from the Dark One and his foul followers," Yo said sharply. "They can't enter this house, which is our advantage."

* * *

 _"Twelve more hours before I can eat?"_ the Weak One complained.

 _"You have your orders. Keep the brats alive for twelve hours then you can eat them,"_ the Dark One ordered.

"Great," the turtle grunted and sat down.

He glared back. In a small hollow nearby were two children, a boy nine years old and a girl about twelve, both were tied on hands and feet. The turtle sneered and turned around, in a single leap he landed right in front of them.

"Just you wait," he growled to the crying shivering children. "In twelve hours, I'll be gnawing on your intestines, grinding your bones with my teeth and drinking every single drop of blood that will be spewing out of you."

Then with a hiss, the small Black Turtle returned to the place where he had been seated.

* * *

"Twelve hours?" The Experimentor sneered and hammered his fist on a tree, breaking it in half. "I'm hungry NOW!"

 _"Do not question my orders Experimentor,"_ the Dark One snarled. _"Or I'll be conducting my own experiments on your sorry behind!"_

The behemoth winced and quickly nodded. Then sat he sat down grumbling and put one hand under his cheek. The Black Turtle then eyed back where a tied up human lay up against a tree. Surprisingly the man didn't show much fear, he stared right back half smiling.

"So you're hungry… but what?" the man asked. The Experimentor growled and looked away.

"I guess you're not allowed to eat then? Who gives the order, the one with the blue mask or the crimson one?" the human continued, not too daunted to be tied up on hands and feet and in the company of carnivorous turtle.

"Will you shut up!" the indigo-purple masked reptile snarled and turned a bit to glare at the man. "In twelve hours I will eat and it will be you."

"Oh really, but why only then kill and eat me?" the man asked. He was wearing a dark bluish, now torn, jacket with an emblem on it. Military type emblem.

"I'm not going to kill and eat you." The Experimentor grinned now. "I'm going to eat you while you are still alive and screaming in pain and agony."

"Oh joy, be sure to let me know then how I taste like," the prisoner said. The turtle's frown dropped, he was not getting the usual reaction.

"As for why not until twelve hours." The large reptile rose up on all fours and crawled closer to the man. "In twelve hours, I will enter a state of mind where only a human meat can satisfy my hunger."

"And why do you have to wait until then?" the human asked. "I'm tied up; you brutes all have my family somewhere. I don't see anything stopping you to eat me right now."

"I have my orders!" the Experimentor snarled and stopped before coming too close. "The Dark One wants to wait and see what his enemies are going to do."

"Enemies? You mean you lovely bunch of man-eating turtles have enemies? Wow who would have thought," the man chuckled earning a dagger glare from the reptile.

"I think, when I start eating you, I'll begin on your tongue," the behemoth sneered and crawled back and sat down.

The human didn't show any expression except raising an eyebrow. However, deep inside he was very worried for his sister, her husband and their children. The attack had been so sudden on the cabin; before they had even known it, four larger than life turtles had tied his family up. He had fought but not well enough. Then everybody had been split up and taken to the woods.

* * *

"Don't worry, in twelve hours all your sufferings will be over." The Brute grinned down at the petrified man, the woman's husband.

"By that time I will turn so mad that the first human I see will be my meal." The crimson-clad turtle roared in laughter then looked almost greedily down at the human. "I plan to have that human be you!"

The Brute was really enjoying himself; he could feel the fear, the terror coming from the man. It was almost intoxicating for the Black Turtle and he was more than willing to build up on it. So far he had described to the man what was going to happen to him and his family.

"I wouldn't worry too much my soon to be morsel," the Black Turtle purred went almost face to face with the frightened man. "You're death will not be a waste. You are dying to feed me and help us to bring the Turtle race to greatness."

 _"Come now, show me your fear."_ The Brute switched to telepathy, entering the humans mind. Drawing out his worst fears.

 _"Well at least you're not complaining,"_ the voice of the Dark One emerged in his mind.

 _"Why should I? I'm loving this,"_ the crimson-clad reptile chuckled.

 _"Good, we are in place. I suspect Yo will be making a plan to rescue the humans,"_ the leader told him.

 _"I'll be ready."_ The Brute smiled and looked back down at his terrified prisoner.

* * *

"I can always count on you Crimson," The Dark One chuckled and sat down on a large rock. In front of him was the human woman standing completely still.

"Humans." The Black Turtle tilted his head, regarding his prisoner carefully. "So weak and frail, so lean and tender."

The large reptile rose back up, never taking his eyes off her. Slowly he approached the human and began walking in slow circles around her. However, here was no reaction from the woman as he had hypnotized her already.

"I admit that humans do have one quality, as do many mammals. The great care you take for your young." The Dark One rubbed his chin and stopped in front of her. "Something what you would consider normal reptiles cannot brag much about. However, that does not apply to me, or other sentient turtles. Even my greatest enemy, who is a turtle like me, loves and cares for his children."

"And I do admit that I have certain other fascinations to the human body other than making it my next meal." The large reptile grinned now, there was real greed in his eyes now. The woman blinked as if waking up and she froze when seeing who stood in front of her.

"It is quite pointless to run." The Dark One smiled but the human bolted.

She didn't get far; suddenly the Black Turtle was right in front of her again. The woman tripped as she skidded to halt and fell backwards. The large reptile laughed when seeing the shock in her face.

"I'm maybe a turtle, but I'm not slow." He grinned maliciously.

* * *

The cabin was made out of logs and built on stilts. It was obviously roomy and there was a large shed nearby and a garage. Two cars were parked in front of it. A swing had been built on an oak tree near the building. All of this would have looked rather peaceful if not for the broken down front door and smashed windows.

"Nice," Tello muttered as he looked around where he stood on the porch.

"Battle zone in there," Leo said as he stepped outside. "Definitely someone put up a fight."

"I hope whoever that was is still alive," the larger turtle muttered.

"Couldn't find any sign of anything." Raphael came from behind the cabin and approached the steps.

"It was lucky Casey knew what cabin the Dark One was blabbering about, so what do we do now?" Tello asked.

"The three others must have taken their prisoners immediately to their positions." In came now out of the cabin. "But we must locate all four of them and get those humans out of there."

"How much time do we have left?" Raph wondered.

"Ten hours," Leo sighed. "It will be tight. They could be anywhere."

"Concentrate my sons, you all have a favorite Black Turtle to battle." In walked down the steps. "And if you concentrate on him, you will get to him."

"I do admit it I have always enjoyed the challenge the Experimentor gives me," Leonardo admitted as he jumped down from the porch.

"Its fun bantering with the Weak One." Raph grinned.

"The Brute is so annoyed that he can't scare me." Tello smirked as he joined the others in front of the steps.

"You have your targets then, my sons. Concentrate on them, find them and bring those humans to safety," In said and closed her eyes. "I on the other hand must face my fear."

"Are you sure mother?" Leo asked concerned.

"We have no other choice my son, we cannot risk it, we must split up once more and once more we will succeed," the woman whispered.

The four turtles looked to the woods. In was already in the process of tying her mask tails around her face. Tello's eyes narrowed and he pulled out his naginata to have it ready. Raphael and Leo both took deep breaths. It was time to go. Then Raph looked down at the ground.

"Uh guys, the Black Turtles are big and heavy right?" he inquired.

"Yeah, even the Weak One has to weight two hundred if not three hundred pounds," Donatello shrugged and looked at his brother.

"Then they leave more visible tracks don't they." The younger turtle crouched, right in front of him were two toed footprints.

"Raphael is right and these guys are not big on the stealth though they can be stealthy when they want to." Leo started to look around. "How big and heavy would you say the Weak One was?"

"He's six feet tall at least and as I mentioned, no less than two hundred pounds." Tello walked to his elder brother.

"Then those are his prints." Leonardo crouched and pointed at tracks leading towards the woods. "These are too small to be from any of the other three Black Turtles and a bit bigger than yours."

"Well Raph, looks like we found the bread crumbs you have to follow," Donatello said glancing at his little brother.

"Joy." Raphael frowned and noted where the tracks led.

"This has to be the Experimentor, he's the largest." Leo pointed another set of tracks; the footprint was even bigger than his hands.

"Yeah, he is seven foot tall and few inches, definitely over five hundred and fifty pounds, heck six hundred pounds I would say," Donatello examined the prints himself.

"But these could be either the Brute or the Dark One, they are similarly tall." Leonardo looked at the third tracks.

"Yeah they are both probably seven feet tall but not the same weight. The Brute is bulkier, I would say he was five hundred pounds while the Dark one is probably four hundred," Tello said.

"Here is the fourth print, it leads in the direction towards the farm house." In knelt down the fourth track. "I would say that was the Dark One."

"Then these are the Brute's," Tello looked at the previous prints.

"Ok let's go then." Leonardo rose to his feet and started to follow the Experimentor's tracks. Raphael followed the ones made by the Weak One. Donatello hesitated before following the Brute.

"What is the matter my son?" In asked, seeing the hesitation in the turtle.

"It's just so… unfair." Donatello looked down and sighed. "Because I am… biologically his… have to come on my own free will… neither he nor the Brute can risk biting me. That's the real reason why I am the most fit to face the Brute."

"And that is an advantage too, Donatello, would you rather one of your brothers faced him and risk being turned into cousins?" In asked and placed a hand on Tello's shoulder.

"No… of course not." He sighed and hung his head. Then the turtle frowned and looked up.

 _Oh no._ Donatello blinked when seeing that Raphael hadn't disappeared yet after the tracks and neither had Leonardo. They had stopped when noticing that their brother and mother hadn't moved yet.

In sighed, the other two turtles approached slowly never taking their eyes of Tello. The bulky ninja stared down at the ground with a firm grip on his naginata. He avoided looking at them and was very uncomfortable. However, their mother never took her hand of his shoulder.

"Ah… did I hear wrong?" Raphael asked unsure.

"No you didn't, Raphael," Leo whispered, staring stunned at Donatello.

"He actually is…?" The youngest turtle blinked, his mother nodded without smiling.

"His resistance to injuries… never gets sick… his size?" Leonardo wasn't sure what was more surprising. To discover this first now or the fact it had been staring them in the face the whole time.

"His temper," Raphael shot in but got a sharp glare from his mother so he bowed his head.

"Tello?" Leo addressed his brother, but the bigger turtle looked away.

"Well if you ask me, he is much better looking?" Raph pointed out.

"Yeah that's true." Leonardo nodded in agreement. Donatello blinked and now first did look at his brothers.

"And he isn't as self-absorbed." Raphael folded his arms and regarded Tello critically.

"Wait… you guys are… ok with it?" Donatello asked confused.

"Why wouldn't we be ok with it? You are our brother, Tello," Leo chuckled. "And to be honest, if this was me, I would have been quiet about it too."

"Yeah being biologically his isn't exactly something to brag home about." Raph shrugged.

"And that's all he is, your father like ours is Yo." Leonardo smiled now warmly at his second youngest brother. "Now, how about we go rescue those humans."

"Ah yes, Weak One," Raphael snapped his fingers and darted into the woods.

"I've always wanted to experiment my new katas on the Experimentor." Leo grinned and turned to run after the tracks.

"Don't you have a Brute to dispose of?" In inquired when Tello still hadn't moved.

"Oh… right." The bulky ninja blinked and took off after the third set of tracks.

 **End chapter 7**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 05/02 2008

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

"Is it time yet?" the man called but there was no response.

"Just asking, wondering if it's time for my agonizing and painful death." The human shrugged, he raised an eyebrow when the huge bulk nearby shifted a bit.

The Experimentor sat up more properly but still ignored the human. In his huge left hand was a device of some sort. In his right there was a screw driver and it certainly looked like the behemoth was tinkering with it.

 _Ok that is scary, that huge man eating creature is showing startling amount of intelligence._ The human frowned.

 _Are they possibly from another planet, stranded here on earth and simply trying to survive while waiting for a rescue? Heck by their behavior they could be criminals escaping from the law… they did mention they had enemies._ Again he looked at the large turtle.

"I like your gear, where did you get it?" the man asked.

"I stole it," surprisingly the Experimentor answered this one.

 _Well, guess that might qualify as an answer to the criminal theory._ The human nodded. "Mind if I ask from who?"

"From my master's enemy." The large turtle glared at him now.

"I noticed that the one wearing the navy blue mask wore similar gear, he stole that as well?" the human wondered.

"He did." The Experimentor rose up to his full height and narrowed his eyes on the human.

"I suppose you're going to ask me next time about the masks?" the reptile growled.

"It did occur to me." The prisoner shrugged.

 _"Master, can I kill him PLEASE?"_ the Black Turtle sent a telepathic message to his leader.

 _"No, you can not."_ Was the answer from the Dark One.

The Experimentor sneered, confusing the human who didn't of course hear the conversation. The large turtle crushed the device he was holding in his hand and threw it into the woods. Then with what looked suspiciously like a pout, the behemoth sat down with his back towards the prisoner.

"Ok so tell me.."

"WILL YOU SHUT UP!" the large turtle roared but didn't turn around.

"Touchy," the human muttered.

The huge turtle grunted and hung his head. Suddenly a small pebble landed on his beak. The reptile snarled and looked around but saw no one. He glared back at the human who couldn't have possibly thrown it. The prisoner's hands were tied behind the back.

 _Wait a minute… I know that feeling._ The Black Turtle rose up and listened.

The human watched wondering what was going on. He had noticed the pebble come flying and wondered if someone had a death wish. The prisoner shifted, looked to his side then eyed the Experimentor again. He blinked and glanced back.

Out of the thickness, a much smaller turtle stepped out beside him, bluish/basic green in color. Wearing a very dark purple mask and in his hands was one sword, the other being sheathed to his back. The prisoner stared but didn't say a word.

Leo didn't take his eyes off the Experimentor who still had his back turned to him and the human. Slowly though the ninja crouched beside the man, using his sword he carefully began cutting the ropes. The reptile was a bit relieved that the prisoner seemed to understand that right now, neither of them better make a peep.

'Can you read lips?' Leonardo risked looking at the man once the ropes had been cut. The human nodded once.

'I am going to attack the big one over there. When I do, run like hell into that direction,' the turtle was mildly surprised how calm the human was, but right now was going to take that advantage. He pointed the way he had come from.

'Are you crazy?' the man asked by only moving his lips.

"YOU!" Unfortunately the Experimentor turned around now and saw Leo by his now freed prisoner.

"To answer your question… I have sometimes wondered." The ninja drew out his other sword and jumped for his enemy.

* * *

"How is Master Yo?" April asked when Casey entered the kitchen. The woman was making tea.

"He is sitting on the couch, refusing to lie down," the man answered and sat by the kitchen table. Mikey was there as well and Shadow, the two children were drinking orange juice and had been given cookies. The little turtle showed no sign any more about last night's unpleasantness.

"Well I don't blame him, his mate is out there and three of his sons." The woman glanced to the doorway; she could just make out the entrance to the living room.

"I don't blame him either, I wouldn't like it either if I was tied down but had to send Shad out to fight, or you," Casey mentioned, earning a smile from April. "He's a good father."

"So are you." The woman patted him on the shoulder and then went to get teacups. The man smiled and looked at his daughter, she was giggling at Mikey who was making a funny face.

"You think he wants something with the tea." April looked around, wondering if she should put cookies on the tray as well.

"You've known him longer than I have," Casey reminded her. "But I have seldom seen him eat anything with tea."

"Right of course… I'll still put few, just in case," the woman said and put few cookies on the tray, the teakettle and a cup. She then carried everything out of the kitchen.

"See, cookie yummy also when do this," Mikey told Shadow; he broke one in two and dipped one half into his glass. He held it for few seconds before picking it up and ate the juice soaked treat.

"That normally goes better with milk, Mikester," Casey chuckled. His daughter stared wide eyed at Mikey, then tried to mimic him with her own cookie.

"Cookie yummy with juice too, Unca Casey," the turtle boy said nodding, as if this was a serious fact.

"I guess I can't argue with that," the man smiled, he looked up when April returned.

"He asked to be alone for a bit," the woman said and sat down beside him. Casey pulled himself closer and started to massage her shoulders.

"I've known them for 9 years, but I don't think I've ever seen him so worried," she whispered, glancing at Mikey who was munching on a new cookie.

"You know, I don't think you ever really told me exactly how you met them. Just that Leo rescued you from becoming a meal," Casey said.

"You're right… don't know why though," April frowned a little in thought.

"You weren't old, you were what 17?" he inquired and got a positive nod.

"Yes, Leo was 15, I am two years older than him," she nodded.

* * *

 _April cursed softly to herself as she hurriedly walked after the street walk. The girl had been spending a bit too long time at a friend's house studying. It was now getting dark. Unfortunately, her friend's parents hadn't owned a car and cab was too expensive. The only option was to walk and that was April decided to do, assuring everybody that she would call regularly._

 _She was still well away from home when suddenly a young man ran past her, bumping deliberately into the girl. April blinked and then saw that the guy had grabbed her purse. The young woman was already rather frustrated and this just downright pissed her off._

 _"Hey!" she called and ran after the mugger who darted into an alley. The girl caught up with him and managed to grab for the purse._

 _They engaged in a brief tug'o'war with it, but man was stronger and managed to jerk it away. April stumbled back and hit her head on the wall hard knocking her out senseless. The mugger decided to book but a shadow landed near him._

 _"Hey buddy, that purse really clashes with your outfit," a voice addressed the man; suddenly a bluish-green foot struck the human hard in the chest._

 _The force caused the mugger to lose the purse, which the shadow caught, and be thrown further back. The guy decided that this was just not worth the effort; he jumped up and darted deeper into the alley._

 _Leonardo peeked out and frowned, nobody was in sight. Usually he and his family called out for assistance of passing people disappearing. He crouched down by the girl checking for any injuries, but she only had a bump on her head._

 _'I have to get her somewhere,' the turtle thought. He froze when a horrific scream echoed through the alley. 'Oooooh shit.'_

 _The turtle didn't need to go and check what was happening. He was pretty sure that had been the mugger and was positive what he had met. Quickly the reptile located a nearby manhole; he then gathered April into his arms and disappeared with her down._

* * *

 _"I'm sorry father but between her and that guy I felt that was more important to get her to safety."_

 _"It's alright, my son. By the time you heard the scream it was probably already too late."_

 _"I just didn't know where to go, so I uh… yeah… my mind was simply on getting away."_

 _"The damage has already been done. We can only wait and see I fear."_

 _"I will go and make some tea. Perhaps that will help her when she wakes up."_

 _"Is she dead?"_

 _"No Raphy, she is just sleeping. Tello stop poking her."_

 _April could definitely feel something poke her in the legs, before a movement indicated that whoever it was had been removed. She was defiantly on a lumpy couch, so it was safe to assume her location was someone's home._

 _"Ugh… what happened?" April slowly opened her eyes, but then shot them wide._

 _Close by the couch but in a discreet distance was a humanoid brown rat in a brown robe. Near him stood a humanoid turtle, looking to be eight years old with a purple colored head-mask. Another turtle was there as well, bigger than the other one and with an indigo colored head-mask. Behind him was a much bigger turtle with a very dark purple mask._

 _April shrieked but came abruptly to halt at the reaction; the two obviously younger reptiles screamed themselves and dove behind the rat. From there they carefully peeked, clinging tight to the old rodent's robe._

 _"Uh it's alright, you are safe," the tallest turtle said calmly._

 _"My grandson Leonardo rescued you from an ill fate, he brought you here as he didn't have time to take you elsewhere," the rat addressed her. He had an elderly voice._

 _"Y-y-you're…" April stammered._

 _"A rat," the old one said._

 _"A-a-and th-they are…" the young woman pointed at the turtles._

 _"Turtles." Leonardo finished._

 _"Ah, so she is awake," a deep voice emerged from behind the couch. April looked up and blinked at the black-masked turtle that stood there. Then a white masked one appeared holding a tray._

 _"Here, some tea to help you relax," the one in white said, it was a clearly a female._

 _April blinked. They were offering her tea? She looked at the turtle woman who smiled at her, offering her a cup. Slowly the human accepted it._

* * *

"Just when I was offered tea, it was like my mind went. 'They drink tea and use furniture, how bad can they be?'" April chuckled. Casey smiled and continued to massage her shoulders.

"So you actually scared Raph and Tello?" he asked.

"Well, Tello was only ten and Raph was going eight," the woman said, and glanced at where Mikey was helping Shadow break a cookie to use on her glass.

"Though I was a bit surprised to learn Tello was ten. He was so big, he could have been twelve or thirteen," she chuckled.

* * *

 _"I am Splinter," the old rat introduced himself. He was now sitting in a worn recliner. In his arms the little purple masked turtle sat. The indigo-masked one sat on the floor near him._

 _The three much older turtles got seated in various chairs around what appeared to be the living room. April felt a bit more relaxed now and she could almost picture this to be just a normal human family._

 _"About 34 years ago, I was once a pet. Unfortunately, I have only vague memories of it; I remember flashes of people, some names and recollection of being called Splinter. There was a fight, two men, my owner and another. In that fight my cage was destroyed and I saw the two men slay each other," the old rodent began a story._

 _"I fled and ended up in the sewer system of this city. I spend days as an ordinary rat, scavenging for food. Then I came up on a scattered canister with flowing green ooze. Swimming in the ooze were two infant turtles." The elder shifted the turtle in his arms a little._

 _"I fished the turtles out of the ooze and took them to my burrow. Only to wake up the next day with all three of us doubled in size and having gained startling intelligence. I took the turtles in as my children, raised them the best I could. I had mild recollection of fighting skills being performed in front of my cage, and I tried to apply those skills to my children. As well as I managed to teach myself to read and gathered books from junkyards and dumpsters," the old rat continued._

 _"As the years passed my children became bonded and I could not stand in the way. I felt it wasn't mine to deny them to possibly continue their line. And they sit here now as soul-mates, my son Yo." Splinter gestured to the black-masked turtle who bowed from his seat. Then the rodent motioned to the white masked turtle. "And my daughter In. Names chosen from the Japanese version of Yin and Yang, In and Yo."_

 _"Fifteen years ago we were then blessed with a young one. My oldest grandson Leonardo who you have already indirectly met." The rat looked at the dark purple-masked turtle who bowed from his seat._

 _"And here with me are our youngest members of the family, Donatello," Splinter reached to pat the indigo-masked one gently. He then patted the smallest one. "And Raphael, my youngest grandson."_

 _April listened fascinated. She couldn't but smile though now at seeing how the youngest gathered around Splinter. Like many children, going to their grandparents to sit with them. It was clear that the old rat did not mind it in the least. He was obviously very fond of his grandsons._

 _"So… what exactly did Leonardo safe me from? Not the mugger was it?" she risked asking, blinking when the older turtles turned grave as did Splinter._

 _"Leonardo, take Raphael and Donatello and keep them occupied," Yo told his oldest son._

 _Leonardo nodded and rose up from his seat. Donatello and Raphael made the usual, groans and complain as any children did who were being sent away. The smaller child reluctantly slit down to the floor and his brother stood up from the floor. Then they followed their oldest brother out of the living room._

 _"Our family fights a very difficult battle." Splinter sighed. "I will let my son Yo explain it more properly."_

 _"For years now, my mate and I and now our son Leonardo, have been fighting a powerful force. It threatens this world's very existence, they are called the Black Turtles." The black-masked turtle looked at April gravely._

* * *

"When Yo told me about those bastards, I just had no idea what to say. Of course I had seen the reports, about people being found murdered and eaten." April shook her head. "But I never imagined what it could be."

"So what happened next, they took you home?" Casey wondered.

"Yes, shortly after that Yo and Leonardo took me home. Ever since then, in some form of gratitude for keeping their existence secret, they kept an extra watch over me. I managed to get them phones and Yo told me that if I ever needed an escort late at night to call them. They would then make sure nothing bothered me," the woman told him.

"And then your father died and you were left with that old shop right?" the man asked, his wife nodded. "That happened a year later, it was strange to live so alone and I was only barely considered adult. I kind of spent a lot of time just in the lair with them. That's how I kind of started to view In as a mother and Yo as my second father."

"And then a year after that, the bastards burned down my home during Christmas of all times," April grunted. "We barely escaped the city and had to spent months hiding outside of it. When we could return I just lived with them in their lair, I guess I had bit of a panic. I just didn't feel safe during night unless the turtles and Splinter were nearby."

"I don't blame you, yeah I remember you were still living with them when we first met." Casey nodded.

"Am gonna see father," Mikey suddenly announced, he jumped from his seat and darted out of the kitchen before the humans could comment.

"Maybe I should go after him just in case Yo…" April stopped when the little turtle returned looking a little surprised.

"Father is not in living room," Michelangelo said looking very puzzled.

"What?" the woman blinked in surprise.

She ran to the living room and looked in. There was no sign of the black-masked turtle. She ran upstairs to see if Yo was in the bedroom, but no sign of the jonin there. Then the woman noticed that both his swords and kusari-gamas were missing.

 _Oh no._ April gulped and ran back downstairs where Casey, holding Shadow, and Mikey stood.

"Yo's gone out," she announced and ran out to the porch, the rest followed. However, Yo had effectively managed to disappear.

"Ah cra…" Casey shut his mouth. "Now what do we do?"

"We can only wait." The woman sighed. Casey sometimes helped the turtles during their scout patrols, when they were dealing with human criminals. However, they strictly prohibited him or April to try to fight the Black Turtles, unless they had no other choice.

 **End chapter 8**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 25/02 2008

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

"Stupid waiting," the Weak One grunted where he still crouched. Occasionally he would glare towards the children and sneer at them. They were too scared to move.

"This is stupid!" the Black Turtle growled. "Why wait? Why not just kill them and make them think they are alive!"

"Aw, the Weak One a little bored?" a taunting voice reached his ears. The reptile froze then slowly turned the head to his right. Leaning on a tree was Raphael; the ninja grinned and waved.

"What the hell?" the Black Turtle jumped up and growled. "You weren't supposed to get here so early!"

"Well… next time try not to leave tracks," Raph said and gestured to the heavy footprints made by larger reptile. "And if you are wondering why you couldn't smell me? Well even you can't smell when I'm downwind."

The Weak One growled and charged. The ninja was ready and jumped out of the way. The Black Turtle thus crashed to the ground and skidded several meters before crashing into the bushes.

"You know, Weak One… you should be the Stupid One. I mean come on; did you really think I would just stand there and wait for you to jump me?" Raphael asked.

"Shut up!" his opponent snarled and came galloping on all fours. "I'm going to fucking tear you into pieces."

"Language, language," the smaller turtle chuckled and ducked as the other reptile jumped, sending the Weak One flying into a tree.

"Can you believe it, kids? He fell for the oldest trick in the cartoons," Raphael remarked, he had crouched by the two children. They both stared shocked and unsure at the ninja.

"Ah be right back," he then said when the Black Turtle had risen and was turning around cursing and growling.

The fight between the two was rather basic. Raphael most of the time used his speed and agility to keep away from the Black Turtle, but still was close enough that the Weak One didn't try to go back to the kids. Occasionally though the ninja would dive towards his opponent, to deliver a kick or a punch.

However, the larger reptile was still the stronger party, despite his misleading name. At one point he did manage to land a blow on Raph, sending him flying back. The Black Turtle then charged, hoping to have gained some leverage over the ninja.

"Hah!" the Weak One cackled when landing on top of Raphael, pinning him down. "What are you going to do now?"

"This," the young reptile stated calmly and kicked his left leg upwards, his knee slamming onto the Black Turtle's tail.

"YEAOW!" the large reptile screamed and let go of his grip enough for Raph to throw him off.

"You guys fight dirty, so I see no reason why I shouldn't," the ninja chuckled and jumped up.

"Oh you are so dead!" the Weak One snarled and slowly rose up, but was cringing in pain.

"I don't think so." Raphael grinned and now first pulled up his zai. The turtle dove forward and slammed himself up against the Black Turtle. In the process he used his weapon to impale the large reptile in the neck, pinning him up against a tree.

"Ow this is gonna sting," the Weak one barely managed to speak as he struggled to free himself.

"Not as much as this will," the ninja said and grabbed a hold of the handles of the zai. The Black Turtle blinked but then moved to try to grab his opponent's arms. He was too late; Raphael quickly jerked his hands sideways, tearing the head off the body.

"Oh great," the Weak One's head snorted as it rolled after the ground. "That's it; I'm going to kill you for real this time."

"How? Nibbling at my toes until I bleed to death?" Raph asked and picked up the head by the mask tails. "By the way, where exactly did you get this horribly ugly bright orange mask?"

"Just you wait until my head is back on my body, I'll tear your entrails from your…" the head stopped when watching its body slowly rise up and then trip over itself back to the ground.

"Yeah….." Raphael glanced at the event himself. He looked back at the Weak One who was growling again, sneering at him. The ninja smiled then dropkicked the head far into the woods.

"NOOOT AGAIN!" the Black Turtle screamed.

"Phew what a guy," Raph chuckled and approached the surprised children. "Hey there, name's Raphael and I'll be your rescuer today. Don't mind those mean ugly big turtles, they don't know any manners."

The boy suddenly yelped, having taken another glance at the decapitated body. It was rising again. Raphael glanced at it and shook his head. He went to pick up a large log. He couldn't quite lift it so he had to drag the fallen tree over to where the body was. Then the ninja promptly dropped the log on top of it.

"There, he'll be having fun with this for a while," the turtle said dusting off his hands. "Now kids, let's get you somewhere safe."

* * *

The human jumped out of the way when a particularly large tree crashed down to the ground. So far he had remained an observer of the near titanic fight. Running just hadn't crossed his mind, even though Leo had told him to do that.

Leo was in full-fledged battle with the Experimentor. The humongous reptile ripped up trees, rocks and anything that was big and heavy and threw it at him. The ninja in turn jumped in, cut or stabbed before jumping out of reach again.

"Didn't I tell you to run? Leonardo asked the human when he landed close to him.

"Right running." The man blinked and started to go into the direction pointed to him much earlier. Leo jumped back for his opponent.

"I'm going to cut you open using a tree branch!" the large Black Turtle snarled and dove for Leo wanting to grab him.

"That sounds painful," the ninja commented before hacking at the hands with the swords. The Experimentor roared in pain as his arms were cut off. However, his supernatural regeneration ability kicked in and they started to re-grow.

"Now just stay down for couple of minutes while I get the human out of here" Leo said and dived closer again hewing with his sword. The Black Turtle's head was cut off and rolled down.

"Hey you killed him." The man sounded impressed. Leonardo came running towards him and grabbed his arm to pull him away.

"Not for long, get running," the turtle ordered and started to drag the human away.

"What?" The man blinked confused.

"Look." The ninja pointed where the large body of the Experimentor was rising up.

"Yes, run, now I remember," the former prisoner now first looked really shocked and ran off with Leonardo.

The two kept running for quite a while not stopping once. Leo knew too well that it was only a question of time before the huge reptile would find his head again and begin chasing. So they had to get as much distance between them as possible.

"Ok…. Now that we have… given ourselves… few seconds head-start…" the human wheezed when they finally stopped to take a short break. "Who the HELL are you and who the HELL was that who kept me prisoner?"

"Can we wait with the stories until we are completely out of danger?" Leo requested. The human put his hands on his hips almost asking "why?" with the face alone. Then in the distance was a faint sound of a crash, then another and another.

"Because you see… the Experimentor is not slow despite his size. And he'll catch up with us very, very soon," the ninja explained.

"Right, safe place first, explanations later. Works for me," the man said. "Oh by the way, Sergeant David Miller."

"Leonardo son of Yo, now let's get running," the turtle said as the crashes were getting awfully close.

"Nice to meet you, Leonardo," David said as the two started run again.

"Likewise," Leo answered.

* * *

"Aw he fainted," the Brute chuckled and put the prisoner down by a tree. The big turtle then backed away a bit.

 _"Crimson, the cousins are having trouble."_ The Dark One suddenly sounded in his mind. The Black Turtle frowned as he got the message.

 _"They have engaged their enemies?"_ the crimson-masked reptile asked.

 _"It seems so, keep a careful watch,"_ the Dark One ordered.

 _"I will master, don't worry."_ The Brute glanced at the unconscious human again.

He rose up to his full height and stretched, pondering what to do while waiting. His toy had gone temporarily out of commission. Then the Black Turtle blinked as a feeling came over him, a feeling that an enemy was near. The large reptile swiftly turned only to be slashed forcefully across the plastron by a sharp naginata blade.

"You!" the Brute growled when seeing Tello standing in front of him. The ninja spun his weapon before tacking a stance with it.

 _"Master, your son is here,"_ the crimson masked one growled in his mind.

 _"Immobilize him, do not bite him or kill him,"_ the Dark One ordered.

The Brute sneered and charged for his enemy. Using his supernatural speed, he attempted simply to slam into him, to throw the smaller turtle away. However, Donatello was ready for it and just barely managed to jump to the side. His opponent was not quick enough to stop and was crashed into the trees.

"Arrg!" the Black Turtle snarled and charged again but this time he was ready to stop himself. He tried to punch Tello, but the ninja managed to duck. Then the smaller reptile stabbed hard with the naginata before pulling it out.

Donatello had to be much more careful than his brothers in the fight. The Experimentor and the Weak One were cousin ranked Black Turtles. Their supernatural abilities were merely rapid healing, bit more speed, inability to die and added strength. The Brute on the other hand had a brother rank, which meant supernatural fast reflexes, enormous strength, with the addition of abnormal powers. The Brute could instill fear to drive opponents or prey into terrified frenzy.

However, the smaller turtle did have his own powers, aside from being highly trained ninja. Thanks to his biological father, Donatello was much stronger and far more resilient than his brothers. He was immune to the Dark One's voice powers and could resist the Brute's fear power much better.

The Brute charged again, already his injures were rapidly healing. Tello saw that he would only have one shot at this. The Brute was very determined and wouldn't stop until enemy was down. When the crimson-masked one had set his goal on something, heaven and earth could shatter before he stopped.

Donatello waited for the right moment and then suddenly threw the naginata straight at the Brute. The weapon made impact, impaling itself on the Brute's head until half the weapon was through. The Black Turtle fell to the ground appearing dead. The ninja quickly ran to his fallen opponent, grabbed his weapon with both hands and then with a grunt twisted the head off.

"Mind if I borrow this for a little while?" Tello snorted and didn't bother removing the head off the naginata. Then he jumped to the unconscious human, picked him up carrying him on his shoulder and darted off into the woods.

The turtle ran until coming across a small ravine. There he finally shook the Brute's head off the naginata, watching it fall down and land in a stream at the bottom. Then he took off towards the farmhouse with the man.

* * *

 _A bit earlier_

The Dark One was still playing around with his prey, letting the woman run but always appearing right in front of her before she could get anywhere. Then the Weak One complained once more about being bored. Growling in frustration the large turtle sent a stern message to his underling.

Then the Experimentor asked again to kill his prisoner. The leader of the Black Turtle growled deeper and gave a blunt no as an answer. Snarling the large reptile grabbed hold on his prisoner so she couldn't run. There was apparently no time for games and he would need his focus on his subjects. They were bored, high strung, hungry and thus very unpredictable. If the plan was to succeed, he was going to have to keep an eye on them.

"Don't move," he ordered the woman and let go, his voice much more soothing and sweet than usual. This hypnotized her again and she didn't budge. Then the Dark One sat down on the ground.

For a while now the Black Turtle just sat and kept a close eye on the others via his mind. The Brute was the only one who seemed to be having fun and made no complaints. The Dark One sighed, knowing he could have been having his own fun if not for the cousins. The Experimentor had though finally started to busy himself with a device he carried.

Then another request came from the biggest Black Turtle to kill his prisoner. The Dark One palmed his face and once more answered him no. However, he frowned having felt something through the cousin. Then using the Experimentor's vision he saw Leonardo standing by the human.

 _Shit,_ the turtle sneered. Then he noticed that the Weak One had engaged Raphael. Quickly he sent a warning message to the Brute to be on his guard. However, the crimson-clad one had barely acknowledged it when Donatello arrived to fight him.

"I'll give Yo that, he's trained them well," the Dark One growled and rose up. "Looks like I… THEY ALL THREE LOST?"

"Idiots!" the Black Turtle groaned and rubbed his temples tiredly. Then suddenly something landed on his stomach plates with a thump and there was a slight stinging pain. He looked down and saw a suriken.

"Now, I know you are smarter than this," he said and pulled the star out of his chest, the reptile looked up and smiled. Standing there ready by the edge of the forest line was In.

"This was merely to get your attention, Dark One," the turtle woman said and stepped a bit closer. She had her butterfly swords ready.

"Well you got my undivided attention, In," the Dark One chuckled and then cracked his knuckles. "My compliments to you about your sons, they are well trained."

"Let that woman go, Dark One," the turtle woman demanded. Her enemy just chuckled.

"Why don't you just come and get her," the large reptile grinned nastily. Suddenly he sprung off from his position, heading directly for In. His speed was too great and he managed to hit her hard, she was thrown back to the trees.

"In, In, In," the Black Turtle chuckled as he casually walked closer to where she struggled to get back up. "You keep forgetting that without Yo, you are pretty hopeless against me."

"I wouldn't say that so quickly," In whispered. Her hands were still on her butterfly swords and suddenly the woman struck with the left one, impaling it right between her enemy's legs.

The Dark One screamed in pain and backed off. The sword got loose in the process and the ninja rescued it from the ground as she stood up. The Black Turtle looked in horrendous pain. After all, the sword had skewered the tail and gone up between where the plastron met the carapace. So he was quite distracted while healing up.

"I have wanted to do that for a long time," In mentioned and jumped at the Dark One. She used her swords now to impale him where the stomach plates met the chest plates. The large reptile roared again in pain and tried to slap the woman away from him. She barely managed to duck out of the way.

In knew though that so far she had been lucky. The Dark One had been caught off guard but that would be quickly used up. She was very relieved that inflicting injuries on the Black Turtles could distract them. After all, they needed a bit of time to heal up, even if they did at a great speed.

 _I need to let him focus on healing,_ she thought and suddenly threw few small steel spikes the ninja carried in her belt. They impaled into his neck. The Dark One snarled again and grabbed for the small throwing weapons, trying to pull them out.

Again, she risked coming closer to her enemy, using her butterfly sword, the turtle gave him a cut on the arm. The Black Turtle snarled and again tried to punch her. This time In dodged in the process grabbed up one sai and impaled it into his leg.

The white-masked ninja was then forced to get away as the Dark One this time tried to grab her. She skidded to halt close to the woman, watching her enemy carefully. He ripped out the sai and threw it away. His wounds were already well healed up.

"Always so feisty, eh In?" the Black Turtle grinned and pulled out the last spike from his neck.

She didn't bother to respond, instead threw her remaining sai at him. However, the Dark One was fully healed again; he grabbed it with no visible effort and broke the blade. The large turtle threw it to the ground, chuckling.

"Now that we have finished the foreplay, how about we get to the real business?" he suggested grinning and charged once more. In tried to jump quickly out of the way but was too late, a large fist slammed into her stomach. The turtle was thrown back and landed harshly on the ground, she gasped for air as all wind had been knocked out of her.

"I see I'll be getting quite a desert after my meal," the Dark One laughed and approached.

"I would reconsider that," was said and suddenly two set of chains appeared from behind. They wrapped themselves tightly around the Black Turtle's neck. Then somebody pulled hard causing him to take a step backward.

"What on…" the Dark One growled and managed to turn around. He blinked when seeing Yo standing there wielding both his kusari-gamas. "Yo!"

"Leave my mate… and that woman alone," the black-masked turtle demanded, he struggled to keep upright. It was evident that the Jonin was still in pain.

"Oh please," his enemy snorted and grabbed the chains and pulled hard. Yo couldn't react quickly enough and lost the grip on his weapons. He fell to one knee grunting in pain.

"Pathetic," the Dark One growled and ripped the chains off his neck. Then he walked to Yo who was struggling to stand up again, going for his swords.

"Looks like I can get rid of a thorn in my side sooner than I expected," he growled and grabbed the Jonin's neck and lifted the turtle easily up. The Black Turtle shook him hard to force Yo to let go of the swords.

"Well your family has been favoring tearing off my brethren's heads. How about I repay them the favor by tearing yours off?" the Dark One said and grinned devilishly.

Suddenly In jumped up on the black carapace, she stabbed her butterfly swords into the Dark One's neck and swiftly cut off the head. Yo was released in the process and fell groaning to the ground, as did the body of their enemy.

"How about your head goes off first," In remarked calmly and kicked the head further away. She then hurried to her mate and helped him stand up. "And what are you doing here?"

"I'm afraid my resolve to protect my family… was stronger than my promise to stay put," Yo confessed. "I would rather have died at his hands and let you escape with the human, than let him get you again, my love. I could never live through it again if he captures you again."

"Can you walk, I will have to carry the woman," In asked, deciding that scolding her mate could wait. The Dark One was not completely accounted for even though his body was currently headless.

"I can walk, go get the human," Yo said with a sharp nod. His mate carefully let go of him and the black-masked ninja master did keep his footing. She picked up his swords and sheathed them for him. Then the turtle woman belted her own swords.

"Hurry my love, the Dark One revives far quicker than his vile followers," the jonin told her and followed his mate as quickly as he could to the human woman. She had fallen to the ground unconscious, the shock from having been so abruptly released from the spell too much for her system.

In nodded and picked up the prisoner. Fortunately, the turtle was a bit bigger than her and the human was light. Soon the ninja couple disappeared as fast as they could back towards the farmhouse.

They thus missed it when the Dark One's body rose up. It didn't walk away; instead one arm was raised in the direction of the head. Then as if it was shot from a cannon, the head flew up and was grabbed by the hand. The Black Turtle growled as he put his missing part of the body back in place.

Birds in many miles radius flew up as the terrible angry roar echoed through the woods and animals dove for hiding places. If the Dark One hadn't been angry before, he definitely was now.

 **End chapter 9**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 18/03 2008

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

April and Casey tried to occupy the children, Shadow and Mikey while they waited for anything. They kept them in the living room, letting the turtle watch cartoons on the television while the little girl had few toys. The adult humans were riddled in worries, though trying their best not to show it.

Suddenly the front door swung open and Raphael came running in with two human kids, a girl and a boy. The turtle was holding them under his arms and looked like had been running like mad.

"There we are safe and sound." The ninja let the children down carefully. Mikey sprung up from the television and darted for his brother.

"Hey Squirt," Raph chuckled and grabbed the little turtle up. Casey had already run over as well to take the two kids into the living room. The boy looked a bit dazed while the girl looked nervous and unsure.

"Where are the others?" April rose up looking at the ninja who was hugging his brother.

"They are not here yet?" Raphael blinked when the woman shook her head no. Then she told him about his father.

"Oh no, Mikey you have to stay here. I need to go back out," the ninja said and put his disappointed brother down again. "April, Casey, take care of those kids."

The turtle couldn't dart out right away. Tello suddenly stormed in carrying the unconscious human man. He didn't waste much time taking him to the living room and place him on the couch. The two human children immediately clung to man, shouting "dad!"

"Tello, father went out after us," Raphael quickly told his older brother whose leg was being hugged by Mikey.

"What? Mikey, let go we have to back out," he said and pried his youngest sibling off. Then without a word, the two older turtles darted back out.

Mikey sat down in the middle of the living room with a pout. Shadow crawled over to him and put her arms around him in a comforting hug. April made sure those two wouldn't run anywhere before turning her attention back to the others.

Casey was trying to calm down the girl who was crying now, clinging tight to her father. Assuring the poor child that he was all right, merely unconscious. The boy, though younger, just held his dad's hand and stared. It was as if he wasn't sure whether to be angry or sad.

However, those awake jumped at the terrible roar that then echoed. April saw through the window when birds flew up into the sky to flee. She looked at Casey who bit his lip. Again, they concentrated on calming the kids down. Mikey and Shadow had went closer to the couch at hearing the distant roar.

* * *

"That bastard is keeping us away from the path to the farm," Leonardo growled as he and David jumped behind a large log.

"The farm is safe yes?" the human wondered and the turtle nodded.

"Yes, they can't come into it for some reason. There is a mark on the door that they seem to fear," the reptile explained while carefully rising up to peek over their hiding place.

"You can't just fight him again and chop of his head? That did seem to delay him," David suggested.

"He'll be on guard for that now. The Experimentor is many things, but stupid he ain't." Leo looked around hoping to see a path that could take them around the Black Turtle.

"I take it there is a reason he is called the Experimentor?" the man asked and rose up himself.

"He experiments on anything. He's not above dissecting people alive," the turtle simply said and started carefully sneaking away from the log with the human following.

"Nice fellow," David muttered.

"The good thing though about him, he's only a cousin so he doesn't have too many special powers," Leonardo quietly explained as they knelt by some bushes. "He has good sense of smell like any predator, but not like the Weak One who is kind of their bloodhound. The Experimentor is more of an intelligent bulldozer."

"Ah," the human nodded.

"And the bulldozer is currently…" he stopped when a shadow came over them. The two quickly looked up half expecting to see the towering form of the Black Turtle.

"What are you two doing?" Tello grunted as the bulky ninja stared down at the two.

"Uh, Experimentor." Leo pointed in the general direction he last saw the behemoth.

"No he's further down by the ridge," his younger brother explained and nodded in a way further to the left. "Raph is keeping an eye on him."

"Friend of yours?" David looked at the smaller turtle.

"My brother, Donatello," Leonardo said and rose to is feet. "Uh Tello this is David Miller, one of the prisoners."

"Right, uh hey." The human waved and stood up. All three looked to their side when Raph suddenly came running.

"The big one is on the move and just joined by the Weak One, we better move," the youngest turtle quickly explained.

"Nice," Tello growled and looked at Leo again. "Leo, Father took off after us with his weapons."

"Oh great. Tello, you and Raph distract the two Black Turtle cousins; I'll get David to the farm," Leonardo ordered. His younger brothers nodded and darted off.

"I didn't land in a middle of an interstellar alien turtleoid war or something did I?" the man wondered as he followed Leo once more on the run.

"More like cross-dimensional, not exactly alien; my brothers and I were born on earth, humanoid turtle, but yeah war sounds right," the ninja answered.

"And to think the kids thought this trip was going to be boring," David muttered, bit sarcastically.

* * *

"This is not what Leo meant by distraction Raphael!" Tello growled as he and Raph ran like mad through the woods. They had to duck and dodge various projectiles, from tree trunks to rocks as well.

"Well he is distracted from Leo and the guy isn't he?" the younger ninja pointed out.

"By chasing us and wanting to kill us for you calling him a lardass?" his older brother snarled and had to duck a particularly large rock.

"Well I… admit it could use some fine polishing," Raphael admitted.

"Alright that's far enough from the farmhouse, enough running," Tello snorted and screeched to halt. Quickly he pulled out his naginata and turned to face the incoming behemoth. "You handle the Weak One."

"Yeah, yeah," Raph muttered and wielded his zai, ready for the incoming attack.

Soon the Experimentor came charging through with a roar. Right on his heels the Weak One came, though he didn't look as pissed off. Donatello twirled his naginata and jumped for the larger of the Black Turtles. Raph waved the smaller one with a smile.

"Hi again, had fun with the log?" he asked.

"Oh you are going to suffer for that one," the six foot tall reptile snarled and charged.

"You know what Tello?" Raph called as he ducked the jump. His brother was already fully engaged in his battle against the Experimentor.

"What?" the bigger ninja called trying to remain calm in the fight and blocked a rather powerful punch from his opponent.

"The Dark One and the Brute, they never use much battle forms when fighting. They just pummel or use their abnormal abilities." Raphael pointed out and kicked the Weak One hard in the head. "And neither does the Weak One for the matter, he's like a vicious attack hound if anything."

"Hey!" the black turtle last mentioned protested that remark.

"So?" Donatello grunted and ducked a large tree branch his opponent was trying to hit him with.

"No I just noticed that the Experimentor tried to punch you in a manner usually only people who practice martial arts know how," Raphael said and slashed at his enemy with one sai.

"Huh?" Tello blinked for a sort moment and then noticed something as well. The Experimentor had stopped for a short while and twirled the tree branch, too easily.

 _Wait… he did the same about a year ago with my old naginata….why am I noticing this first now?_ The turtle swung his naginata trying to score a hit, but the larger one blocked it with the branch.

Then Donatello remembered something else. The Dark One seldom let the Experimentor fight head on. Usually the large Black Turtle had a device or something else to attack his opponents with. However, when the Experimentor actually fought, he was usually not that easy to beat even if he was just a cousin. A whole lot of the time they had to try to catch him by surprise.

 _And Leo's strategy is usually by cutting off his limbs, so he never really get a cha…oh shit._ Tello had to back as suddenly the Experimentor charged beating madly with the branch.

"Are you actually telling me, you overgrown sorry excuse for a turtle, that you have martial arts background?" the ninja snorted.

"Surprised?" the behemoth chuckled darkly and suddenly did a powerful sweep kick. Tello barely managed to back flip, he wasn't sure his legs would have survived contact.

"One would have thought you would then use it more often." Raph blinked, he had just finished 'killing' the Weak One.

"I don't usually need it," the Experimentor growled and broke off a tree and threw it at the youngest turtle. Raphael threw himself out of the way.

"That's not the reason." Tello frowned, he was pretty sure he would have noticed it already if the Experimentor showed skills in martial arts.

"And you can prove otherwise?" the Black Turtle swung another large branch trying to hit the ninja. Donatello blocked it with his naginata.

"The Weak One has a rather powerful sense of smell, even for a predator…" Tello blinked as it came from him. "You mime!"

"Mime?" Raphael frowned confused he was busy now keeping the stirring Weak One down, by simply sitting right on top of his carapace.

"The cousins have minor abnormal powers. The Weak One has powerful sense of smell. The Experimentor can mime our fighting skills; he's learning martial arts as he fights us," Tello quickly explained and swung his weapon, the blade cut into the Experimentor's plastron.

"How the hell did you manage to figure that out so quickly?" the large turtle snarled and tried to punch the ninja.

"It fits, you usually only fight Leo or our father, and they usually concentrate on cutting your limbs off. You get no chance to use your powers," Donatello snorted and ducked another swing from the branch.

"But wait, wait, does he lose then those abilities again and has to relearn them?" Raph wondered and now held the head of the Weak One. He had ended up cutting it off to quiet down the body for a minute.

"Oh aren't you a smart guy," the bluish-green Black Turtle snorted.

"Alright you got me, I have mime powers a minor gift for my service from my master few years ago," the Experimentor snorted and managed to land a hard punch on Tello, the bulky ninja was thrown back.

"Tello!" Raphael threw the head away and rushed towards his brother. However, something grabbed his mask tails and the ninja was yanked up, in the process he dropped his zai.

"So I'm a lardass am I?" the behemoth snarled as he turned the turtle to face him.

"Eh…well… you know how words sometimes have double meaning?" The small turtle grinned nervously. It froze on him when seeing the crimson-masked reptile appearing from the woods, holding the Weak One's head.

"Uuuuh Tello!" Raph tried to turn himself where he hung, only to see that the Experimentor had actually punched his brother hard enough to knock him out. "Oh shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!"

"So what should we do with him?" The largest of the Black Turtles asked, grinning nastily. The Weak One was rising up fastening his head.

"How about this!" Raphael swung up and struck the behemoth in the head with a foot, unfortunately the huge reptile barely budged.

"Donatello!" The Brute now noticed where Tello lay. Growling the black-greenish turtle started to approach the unconscious ninja. The Weak One on the other hand started to circle the Experimentor who still held Raph up on the mask tails.

"Ah anybody told what dashing eyes you have?" the ninja said again addressing the turtle holding him up. He didn't notice the Weak One stop and then smile deviously.

"Say what? Are you trying to joke again or are you serious?" The behemoth lifted Raph a bit higher to be in eye level. The smaller reptile blinked a bit in surprise at the change in attitude.

"I um…" Raphael was at lack of words. He wasn't quite expecting this reaction. Suddenly the Weak One appeared beside him, arms folded and looking rather smug.

"Dude, he swings for the home team," the smaller Black Turtle told him grinning nastily.

"What exactly are you trying to tell me here…" Raph frowned, having grabbed the arm holding his mask and was trying to pull off.

"Do I have to spell it out?" the Weak One asked casually, even the Brute had stopped and was leaning on a tree trying not to laugh.

Raphael looked at the Experimentor then back at the Weak One. The ninja repeated this action two more times before, slowly looking at the larger turtle. The realization came over him like an avalanche. Sharply he looked at the small Black Turtle.

"Wait second, are you telling me he's GAY?" he shouted.

"Oooh we have a winner," the bluish-green reptile chuckled.

 _And I just complimented his eyes…._ Raph froze. Suddenly the two Black Turtles looked down; the Brute's head was rolling past them.

"Hate to break up the relationship." Leonardo suddenly jumped forward and his katanas swung into action. Two more heads rolled and Raphael landed on his feet.

"Break up the relationship?" Raphael exclaimed but his oldest brother was already running to where Tello was.

"Tello, wake up," the turtle tried to shake his large sibling who was already stirring. Groaning the ninja opened his eyes.

"Ow," Tello muttered and was helped rise by his brothers. Raph handed him his naginata.

"Let's hurry, we have to find our parents." Leonardo wasted no time and disappeared into the woods, his brothers followed. The three Black Turtles were already rising up and searching for their heads.

"They are getting away, hurry guys hurry!" The Weak One shouted but his body smashed into the Brute and fell down. "Aw man."

"Heh have to admit big guy, it was pretty funny how we pulled his leg with letting him think you were gay," he then said in an afterthought as the Experimentor finally located his head and put it on.

* * *

"Yo?" In turned when noticing that her mate had fallen behind, the Jonin leaned up against a tree.

"I'm alright… just…" Yo stopped and was definitely in pain.

"We can rest for a bit," the turtle woman offered but he shook his head.

"No, the Dark One could find us at any moment now… love I'm slowing you down. Run to the farmhouse with the woman," he said and tried to rise from the tree.

"Yo, I cannot do that." In blinked in surprised at what her mated wanted her to do.

"That is an order, chunin. It is more important to get those humans to safety and your safety is important for me as well. I will be fine," Yo ordered sharply.

"Your safety is important for me as well," she whispered, shifting the human a bit in her arms.

"Please my love… get the human to the farm," the black-masked one said. In bit her lips and glanced down at the woman she held.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," she whispered holding back her tears, fearing the danger her mate was in. The turtle then disappeared through the woods on the run.

Yo closed his eyes and tried to concentrate, then with effort he pushed himself from the tree and tried to walk. The jonin had only walked for a moment before he had to rest himself again at another one.

 _Maybe I can…_ the turtle frowned and slowly turned around. _Hide._

"Now this is a rare sight," the Dark One grunted, where he stood between two trees staring down at the smaller reptile. Yo stared gravely at him.

"Dark One, come to finish the job have you?" the ninja asked calmly.

"Well, I admit I was being a bit rash there earlier." The Dark One shrugged and eyed skywards, then returned his gaze on the jonin. "Actually I much prefer to see you suffer."

"You seldom surprise me in that regard," Yo said and started to go for one of his swords. The Black Turtle was suddenly right in front of him and grabbed his wrist.

"Yo, come now, you're injured," the black-shelled reptile said and used his free hand to remove the swords from the scabbards. He then stabbed them high into the tree and out of reach.

"You could hurt yourself." The Dark One smirked and threw Yo to the ground.

"I doubt you are really concerned for my wellbeing," the black-masked turtle said dryly and tried to rise up again. His whole body was aching now and he felt some of the old wounds reopening.

The Dark One chuckled cruelly and walked over to him. Forcefully the larger turtle put on foot on Yo's carapace and pushed him back to the ground. The smaller reptile gasped in pain. The Black Turtle smiled and folded his arms.

"I must admit, Yo, you have been quite a decent challenge. In all my long life, nobody has put up as much fight against me as you have. You truly have been a worthy adversary," the evil creature told him.

"You have brought nothing but pain and misery into our lives… I will not thank you for that," Yo remarked, the foot was lifted off his carapace and used to turn him over. Now it pressed on his plastron.

"Aren't you forgetting something, Yo?" Dark One tilted his head, tapping his own chin with one finger.

"You're not going to tell me that you think Donatello is a pain and misery in your life?" the Black Turtle put the hands on the hips.

"Leave him out of this," the jonin said as sharply as he could.

"Oh don't try to fool me, Yo. I can see it in your face. You know I'm not that far off," the Dark One leaned a bit forward. "You know as well as I do what part Donatello carries and I'm not talking about In's part. Face it Yo, if not for me, he wouldn't exist."

"I am proud of my son Donatello," Yo simply responded. He gasped when the foot on his plastron pressed harder.

"Give it up, Yo," the Dark One growled and prepared to crush the jonin even further down. A sword landed almost perfectly by Yo's hand. The black masked turtle, although weak, managed to grab it and cut the leg.

The Black Turtle roared in pain and fell back. He didn't manage to recover quickly enough as someone jumped on top of him. A naginata blade was thrust into his chest and the Dark One fell limp. The weapon was then pulled out.

"Quick, Raph help me," Leo ordered as he prepared to lift Yo up. Tello rushed to them and pushed his brothers away.

"I'll take him," Donatello grunted and easily picked up their father. The three ninjas then disappeared quickly away. Just at that moment, the Dark One came back to life, roaring in anger.

* * *

In was hurrying down the steps of the porch when she noticed movements at the edge of the woods. She blinked when recognizing her sons and that Donatello was carrying Yo. Almost right behind them were roars and growls. Trees were crashing down in the forest as something heavy crashed into them.

"Mother, open the door!" Leonardo called as the turtles came closer. The turtle woman immediately jumped back and hurried inside, leaving the entrance open.

Donatello who was the last, had barely stepped up on the porch when the Dark One himself came charging through the woods. Right after him was the Brute, then the Experimentor and last the Weak One.

The ninja ducked into the house and Raphael slammed the door after him. The Black Turtles approached, snarling and growling but suddenly the sign on the door started to glow. The light was white and soft and seemed to form a shield around the house.

"This isn't over yet, Yo!" The Dark One stopped, averting his eyes from the bright light. "You and your family will suffer one day!"

"Master…. I'm getting hungry… too hungry to think!" the Brute complained and grabbed his head.

"It's twelve hours, we must feed!" the Experimentor's voice was getting deeper and he looked in horrendous pain.

"We'll return home! They have won this round!" the Dark One snarled. His largest underling barely managed to retrieve a device of some sort from his belt. The four Black Turtles disappeared then in a flashing light.

The light shield around the house subsided and everything seemed perfectly normal now. Slowly Leonardo opened the door and glanced outside, Raph peeked over his shoulder. The older ninja opened the entrance fully and eyed the turtle insignia.

"Okay… we have to find out about this sign. What the hell was that anyway?" Leonardo glanced around but saw no traces of their enemies.

"I'm not complaining, it kept the Black Turtles away." Raphael glanced upwards. "Uh Leo."

"What?" Leonardo looked at his brother then at the sky. The ninja blinked.

A white fluffy cloud was drifting by high up there. Part of it seemed to have formed in a petit turtle like head; two holes were on it, almost making it look like the cloud reptile had blue eyes. A line on the cloud appeared like a smile.

"Did you see that?" Raph asked. Leo nodded slowly. The formation in the cloud slowly faded away.

"What did they call the sign again?" Raphael wondered.

"The white turtle marking of Un," his brother answered.

"My sons, please come in," In appeared in the front hall. The two younger ninjas looked at her and nodded. Leonardo closed the door behind them.

 **End chapter 10**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 23/03 2008

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

In closed the door, her expression was grave and for a moment she didn't let go of the doorknob. Then the turtle woman turned in the hallway and took a deep breath as she began walking away from the room. Leonardo who had been waiting outside walked beside her.

"How is he?" he asked quietly.

"Some wounds had been reopened and his right wrist was squeezed badly. It is lucky it didn't break," she explained to her son who nodded.

"The Jonin is officially out of commission my son, he is in no condition to perform his duties at the present time," the turtle woman suddenly said and looked at Leonardo who frowned.

"Mother… I…" he was silenced by In who raised her hand, the two stopped just before arriving at the stairway down.

"You know that I perform the duties of a chunin with no intention of taking over the role of Jonin. You are in training for that role my son, you are the acting Jonin now and you have a duty to perform," she told him, there was slight sternness in her tone.

"As you wish, mother." Leonardo bowed and so did In. The two then descended down the stairs and headed for the living room.

Only three of the former prisoners were in the living room, with April, Shadow and the rest of the turtles. The woman and her husband were still unconscious but had been put in a guestroom. Casey was closely monitoring them. David sat with his nephew and niece on the couch, both children clung to the man, still unsure about those other reptiles.

"As our father is out of commission, I am taking the duties of Jonin until he recovers," Leonardo reported to his brothers. Raphael and Donatello nodded and bowed. Only Michelangelo was exempted from this as he was still learning.

"David Miller, as the only adult member of your family in full healthy condition I must discuss with you a serious matter." Leonardo then turned to the human.

"Uh sure," the human nodded, finding it a bit odd to see turtle suddenly all serious and formal.

"Usually when we free humans from the Black Turtles, we try to do it so that we go unnoticed. So far only three humans have known of our existence and our struggle with the Dark One," the turtle continued and took a seat that faced the couch. Like his father Leonardo preferred to be in eye level with those he spoke to.

"And you have met them all already, April, Casey and Shadow. They have kept our secret, even if it has risked their lives several times," Leonardo said.

"But we have all made vows to never harm or kill a human unless absolutely necessary and only in protection of another human or one of our own. So we cannot and will not take any extreme measures to ensure your silence. So I can only ask, David Miller, will you keep us secret even if that knowledge might put you on the radar of the Dark One and his followers?" The ninja had to restrain himself from holding his breath. He kept a calm stoic expression on the human man he had saved from the Experimentor.

"Wow, that's quite a question," David said and eyed the children clinging to him. Then he looked back at Leonardo.

"You and your family risked your hides to save mine. Your injured father even sent your mother off with my sister to get her to safety. I have almost no idea how I could possibly even start to repaying you guys. However, if part of that debt is paid by me and mine keeping our mouth? Then by all means," he then said.

"But can you speak for your sister and brother in law? After all they were being handled the worst." Leonardo frowned. The Brute no doubt had enjoyed tormenting the man and the turtle shuddered to think what the Dark One might have done.

"Ah, good point," David rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Mother, did she see you when you and father rescued her?" Leonardo looked at In who shook her head.

"She was hypnotized so she was most likely not aware of anything that happened," the turtle woman told him.

"And she probably didn't think much of what she saw when the Dark One brought her here earlier to show us what he was up to," her son mentioned. "Too frightened."

"Then I propose that the only ones that David's sister and her husband see when they wake up will be April and Casey. The rest of the family will remain hidden until the humans feel ready to head off," Leonardo said. "April and Casey can tell them that friends helped them escape but at the present time, they cannot reveal themselves."

"That works for me," David nodded but then eyed back towards a window. "You guys sure these brutes won't return?"

"Not for a while, once they enter their frenzied state it takes them while to get rid of it. They usually will not return until after 24 hours," In explained to him.

"Then we better prepare, our injured guests could wake up at any time now," Leonardo said and rose up from his seat.

* * *

Yo discretely watched from the window in the bedroom. A car had been brought to the farm, belonging to the humans his family had rescued. David was herding the children into it, April and Casey were helping the kids' parents to the vehicle.

"Leonardo handled this very well," In told him, she was standing there nearby ready to assist her mate.

"He will be a good leader one day." Yo nodded. "Hopefully we have gained an ally there."

"Mr Miller told us that we could always drop by his apartment, he lives in New York and gave Leonardo the address. He lives alone and is most of the time not at home and if we needed a quick place to hide we could use it." The turtle woman glanced out of the window. David was driving away, April and Casey waved the car as it began to disappear.

"He is willing to risk his safety so much?" The black-masked turtle slowly glanced at his mate.

"I believe that he was really grateful that we saved his family," In smiled and put an arm around the jonin.

"It is an important thing, family." Her mate weakly put an arm around the turtle woman. "Where is Donatello…? I must speak with him."

"Come to the bed first, then I'll go and find him." In carefully helped Yo to turn away from the window and to the bed, slowly the black-masked ninja master eased himself down. His mate then helped him lie before heading out of the room.

* * *

Tello leaned on the window frame of his room staring outside. Now that things were over and settled down, his mind was now heavy with what had occurred since arriving at the farm. The turtle was grim faced and both his hands were balled up tight.

 _They accept me, they have always have. I've always been part of the family… but why am I so worried now?_ He bit his lip and for a moment looked down. _I've never had to worry about it before._

"Donatello?"

The turtle looked up and glanced over his shoulder, In stood in the doorway. Tello relaxed his stance and put the arms down, un-balling the fists. Then he turned fully to face her.

"Yeah?" he wondered what was going on.

"Your father wishes to speak with you," his mother told him smiling.

Donatello nodded slowly and approached. In stepped out of the doorway and headed back to where Yo rested. Her large son followed, still deep in thought. The two entered the bedroom and Tello stopped in the doorway when seeing the jonin. The black-masked turtle glanced up and smiled.

"Donatello, my son, come," Yo said quietly and tried to rise up, In hurried to his side to help the turtle sit in the bed. Tello entered the room and grabbed a nearby chair to sit on next to the bed.

"You wanted to speak with me father?" the younger turtle inquired. In said quietly that she would leave them be and left the room, closing the door behind her.

"Your mother told me that your brothers found out certain things," Yo began. Tello dropped his head and nodded slowly.

"But they did not react like you feared they would did they?" the jonin didn't really ask, though it was in a form of a question. Again, his son nodded.

"Son," the older turtle reached for one of Tello's hands with his right, placing it weakly on the left one.

"I've noticed you have been troubled over this, ever since you found out the 'role' the Dark One has in your life. You do not speak of it, such is just your nature but your fear is understandable. However, your brothers know you Donatello. You have been a permanent presence in their lives for years. Given, now some things make more sense to them, but that doesn't change the fact that you are their brother and you are my son."

Tello looked slowly up; he put his free hand over his father's right. The younger turtle knew Yo was right. Things were no different and probably wouldn't be any different. He had never been an outsider in the family, despite his temper and size.

"I'm very proud of you, my son, you and your brothers handled things here very well. I've never liked it that we were forced to drag you three into this never-ending struggle. But you have proven that it wasn't a terrible decision, even though I still consider it a regrettable one." The jonin smiled for a moment but then he frowned slightly.

"But Donatello, can you tell me how you managed to impale your naginata into the Dark One's black carapace?" he then asked.

"Um, like I just normally do with the others, stab." Tello blinked at the question and raised an eye ridge when seeing the surprise come on his father.

"My son, your mother and I and even Leonard have several times broken our weapons on that shell. We always deemed it impenetrable," Yo explained. Donatello blinked in surprise.

"I… well… I just sneaked up behind him as he was distracted and stabbed," Donatello shrugged.

"Hm strange indeed, the marking on the door, this, I'm not sure what to make of this. It's almost as if…" Yo trailed off.

"What?" Tello wondered what he was thinking.

"I'm not sure… I'll have to meditate on this when I get the chance," the jonin said and started to ease himself back down. Donatello rose to help him lie on the bed.

"I'll let you rest father," Tello said, after getting a confirming nod from his father the younger turtle left the room.

* * *

Leonardo lay on his own bed. One hand was under his head but the other held a photograph. The turtle stared at it with a grave expression. The ninja had been in his room ever since David and his family had left.

The photograph was of him holding his arms around a blonde girl around the same age as the reptile embracing her. The setting looked to be the couch back at the lair, the two smiled at the camera. The turtle sighed; he remembered when this was taken on his eighteenth birthday. Everything had just been so perfect, even the danger of the Black Turtles had looked so distant and irrelevant.

"Then… two months later…" Leo sighed sadly; a small tear crawled down his cheek.

He had met Erica, the girl on the picture, under similar circumstances and April. He had seen a mugger jump her and the turtle hadn't hesitated to spring into action. The main difference was that the girl hadn't been knocked out and when seeing the turtle, she screamed and ran away. Leonardo had followed from a discreet distance to make sure she got home safe.

Ever since then the ninja had been on the lookout for the girl. If he found her, the turtle kept himself hidden and made sure from the distance that she was safe. This went on for almost two months until Yo finally found out about this and confronted his son about it.

Leonardo finally admitted to him that he was in love and just couldn't stop thinking about Erica. Splinter and Yo conferred with each other about the lovesick turtle. The old rat was on his grandson's side, reminding his son that Yo really couldn't stand in Leonardo's way if there was a chance, remote as it was.

In talked with April who agreed to see what she could do. The young woman met with Erica and managed to become friends with her. After few weeks, the girl confessed her startling meeting with Leonardo.

April pretty much sprang into action with that, of course things had to be done carefully. However, after a while she managed to convince the girl that the turtle she had met meant no harm. Finally, Erica actually agreed to meet Leo again, close to where she lived. That meeting went much better and the two became good friends. The friendship changed into love and the ninja eventually took her to meet the family in the lair.

"I love you Erica… always will," Leonardo whispered to the picture and carefully put it on the nightstand. Now he lay on the bed with both hands under his head.

"I wish things could have gone differently." The turtle sighed and dried his tears. He then glanced up when feeling a presence by the doorway.

"Are you alright my son?" In entered, she felt the emotional turmoil all too well. Then the woman noticed the picture on the nightstand.

"I'll be alright… just remembering her…" Leo slowly sat up as In got seated on the edge of the bed.

"Remember all the good things you two did together and she will always live on in you," the turtle woman said and placed gently a hand on her son's shoulder.

"I will avenge her, one day," Leonardo said and was pulled into hug by his mother.

"You already are," In whispered. "Every human you have saved from the Black Turtles, every victory over them is in her honor. She along with April and Casey and young Shadow have shown us that this fight is well worth it."

"I know mother," Leo agreed silently and hugged the turtle woman back.

* * *

"Jeez you two, you actually went and got the van doors?" April blinked where she sat on the porch with Mikey and Shadow. Casey and Raphael were arriving on the van, sticking from the back where the doors the Experimentor had ripped off.

"Well might as well see if we can't get them back on. Not sure the insurance company covers 'ripped off by a giant man eating turtle'," Casey chuckled as he stepped out of the vehicle.

"Besides, with the Black Turtles gone for now, we had nothing to do," Raph remarked and went to the back to help with the doors.

"Want me to go get Tello to help you?" April rose up from the bench.

"No, no we can handle this," Casey assured his wife. "Raph, tool box in the shed!"

"Righto!" The turtle saluted and ran to the shed.

"Unca Casey, you know what you doing?" Mikey asked as he jumped up on the porch railing.

"Sure Mikester, it's just two doors," the man said and began to examine the damage on the back. "That… need new hinges."

"Oh really is that all," April chuckled. Raph came back with the toolbox.

"Ok let's see," Casey muttered as he and the turtle went to work on the van.

April held up Shadow and approached the railing. Mikey still balanced himself on it, watching curiously the repair job. Tello looked outside and when the turtle saw what was going on he stepped out. The ninja folded his arms and watched critically.

"What exactly do they think they are doing?" he finally asked. April glanced at him smiling.

"Repairing the van doors," she answered.

Donatello stepped down from the porch and approached the repair attempt. At the moment Raphael and Casey were struggling to fit one door in place. The bulky turtle stood behind them now staring half amused.

"Ok it almost fits, let's see," Casey said and let go and so did Raph. The door seemed to be in place for a moment before it fell down. The spectators on the porch laughed.

"The keyword being, almost," Tello addressed them. Raphael looked at his brother then at the fallen door.

"Uh yeah, guess it's too damaged, this needs to be completely replaced," the human examined the back of the van again.

"Would probably be cheaper just to buy a new one," Tello grunted and started to look at the damage. "Honestly if you want this closed, the only way would be welding the doors to the back."

"April?" Casey looked towards his wife. "You want the doors just welded to the back?"

"If it's the only way, then let's do it," the woman answered.

"I'll get the torch," Tello said and disappeared towards the tool shed.

"I'll let you guys have fun," April said and took Shadow into the house, Mikey followed wanting to watch the TV.

* * *

 _Some time later._

"Where are the boys?" In asked when she entered the kitchen. April was giving Shadow some fruit to munch on.

"I think they moved my van to the barn, they decided after all to try and save my back doors," the human chuckled.

The turtle woman nodded and sat down by the table. She accepted an apple slice from Shadow with a smile. April started to fix tea for In and her. Leonardo looked into the kitchen few minutes later, appearing rather thoughtful. After looking around the ninja ducked back out.

"Guess he was looking for someone." April shrugged as she sat down, giving In one tea cup. The older woman nodded in agreement.

"Are you sure he wants two?" the voice of Leo then came from the hallway.

"He's hooking two, so he needs two keyboards," Raph responded.

"Mikey be careful with the Mini-TV. Take it straight to the barn," Leo then said.

"Yes sensei," Mikey complied and the front door could be heard open and close.

In and April stared at the kitchen entrance confused before casting each other a glance. Then the two women rose up and walked to it and looked out. They just missed Leonardo heading out holding a box, sticking out of it was a keyboard.

Raphael came then running in and went straight for the basement. The women blinked, wondering now for real what was going on. The ninja returned holding what looked like pipes. The turtle ran out before he could be addressed.

"I'm going to find out what is going on," In said and started towards the front entrance. April grabbed Shadow up and followed.

They headed straight for the barn and just missed Raphael duck in. However, the large door was open so it was hard not to see inside. April stopped and her eyes bulged out, In's jaw dropped slightly.

"What is going on in here?" the human woman asked when they had reached the entrance. The four turtles and Casey looked up from their work.

"Uuh…" Tello was on top of the vehicle using the welding torch.

"Well, remember that old tractor?" Raph asked and motioned to spot in the barn where an old tractor had once been. It was empty.

"Tello got the idea… you see." Leonardo hesitated; he was sorting out electric equipment with Mikey's help.

The van was slowly starting to look nothing like it had. Part of the body had been ripped off and was in the process of being enlarged. Also the back was in the preparing stages to get the two large tractor tires. Tello was making a top hatch on the roof. Casey was working on the engine, which seemed to be combining the old engine with the tractor one.

"Also remember that old tank remains? Well uh…" Raph gestured to a pile of metal.

"We making a super car!" Mikey announced with a wide smile.

"Mother, take Shadow, I think I'm going to faint." April blinked and handed Shadow over to In. The human then supported herself on the doorframe.

"We well, were hoping it might work better against the Black Turtles next time," Tello mentioned.

"It will take few days though to complete," he admitted.

"But the store in the village delivers supplies. I called and checked," Casey added.

"Father isn't in any condition anyway to be travelling." Leonardo pointed out.

"We were bored." Raph hung his head.

"And the van was in a sorry shape anyway." Tello scratched his head.

"It is for a good cause," Leo said.

"It's a super car," Mikey happily reminded them.

"Let's just go back inside." In patted April on the shoulder, knowing there was no way to stop this anyway. The human nodded, still wide eyed and the two of them plus Shadow headed back for the farm. The turtles and Casey shrugged and continued their work.

 **The End**


End file.
